ABSTRACT
Historically, the purpose of education in the United States is to prepare youth to become productive members of society, including maintaining employment, being good citizens, paying taxes, and contributing to our economy (Hanley-Maxwell & Collet-Klingenberg, 2012). The success of schools in fulfi lling this purpose has been called into question as the global economy has challenged America’s ranking as a world leader in the “high skills-high wages” race (Taskforce on the Future of American Innovation, 2005). Preparing youth for employment in this rapidly changing job market requires schools to reconsider both what and how we teach so our youth will have the skills to successfully compete for 21st century jobs. As a result, signifi cant questions remain how to best prepare our youth for successful transitions to unknown future employment. These questions encompass the preparation of youth with and without disabilities.
