Components of the Transition Plan according to IDEA

Transition Plan
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Components of the Transition Plan
A transition plan does not merely address the student’s learning capabilities and educational requirements but also ensures his development, well-being, and success in the future. This is why transition plans are required to consider the student’s capacity to acquire a job in the future, thereby increasing their chances of success. Accordingly, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 provides that every transition plan must (1) be individualized, (2) done before the student turns 16 years old, (3) be based on his skills, preferences, and strengths in life, and (4) include various “opportunities to develop functional skills for work and community life” CITATION Leand \l 1033 (Learning Disabilities Association of America, n.d.). Accordingly, the components for transition planning should at least include three areas such as; (1) education/training, (2) employment, (3) independent living.
The first component of a transition plan includes education/training. Notably, this one focuses on the additional skills that the student needs to succeed in the world outside the academy. In the case of Alex, it was clear that Alex had already been employed as a part-timer. Since Alex enjoys this kind of job, focusing on the skills that could further improve his performance should be the priority in the first component of the transition plan. Specifically, it was said that Alex has already performed well, yet he has problems regarding socialization due to his belief that strangers might not understand him. In one study conducted by Beckmann and Minnaert (2018), they noted that these difficulties, even when coupled with high motivation among students with learning disabilities, could lead to higher frustration. Thus, his career would stagnate without improving his interpersonal skills since he would choose to be quiet rather than interact with others. Thus, the first component of this transition plan should include developing interpersonal skills and leadership skills.
The second component of a transition plan focuses on the student’s employment. However, since Alex is already employed, the focus on this component should be his continuous employment CITATION Tra16 \l 1033 (Trainor, Morningstar, & Murray, 2016). As provided in the case, Alex’s boss found that he was good at what he was doing. Alex was also able to develop comfort and experience with his job, thereby improving his capacity to continue with the same. However, it was stated that he wants Alex to develop his business skills to add to his work hours. Accordingly, a transition planner should focus on two aspects, in this case, (1) the development of Alex’s business skills and (2) finding opportunities for his ...