ABSTRACT
The provision of services to young adults in transition from school to work and adult life is not a new concept. Projects have focused on this population for many years within the education and rehabilitation communities. Beginning in the mid-1970s, the federal government passed numerous pieces of legislation that demonstrated a commitment to the career development of people with disabilities and mandated their inclusion in meaningful education and rehabilitation experiences (for example, PL 93-112, Rehabilitation Act of 1973; PL 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975; PL 94-482, Vocational Education Act of 1976; and PL 95-207, Career Education Incentive Act of 1977). Both the Rehabilitation Act and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which became the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and more recently, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, have been consistently improved over time through the reauthorization process, and the federal government’s intent to promote full inclusion of people with disabilities in society has thus been reinforced legislatively.
