ABSTRACT
Active student participation in the transition education process represents a foundational secondary special education practice (Kohler & Field, 2003; Rusch, Hughes, Agran, Martin, & Johnson, 2009). Federal legislation and research on transition education practices have provided strong support for students with disabilities to be involved in transition education practices. Federal special education law requires that students of transition age be invited to participate in their transition IEP planning meetings, and the implied assumption is that students actively participate in the transition discussions to help ensure that IEPs are written based upon the students’ needs, while considering the students’ strengths, preferences, and interests (Flexer & Baer, 2008). The federal government mandates that state and local education agencies comply with these legal requirements, and enforces compliance with monitoring activities that include site visits and review of documents. Clearly, federal mandates serve as a strong support for students to participate in and contribute to the development of the transition IEP.
