Personnel Development #2: Using NSTTACs Evidence-Based Secondary Transition Practices

Indicator-13: Percent of youth aged 16 and above with an IEP that includes coordinated, measurable, annual IEP goals and transition services that will reasonably enable the child to meet the post-secondary goals.

NSTTAC Indicator 13 Resources (All available at www.nsttac.org)

1. A listing of evidenced-based practices in the areas of:
   1. Student-Focused Planning (involvement in IEP process)
   2. Student Development (skill assessment and instruction)
   3. Interagency Collaboration
   4. Family Involvement
   5. Program Structures (policies, philosophies, resources)

2. For each evidence-based practice there is a:
   1. Practice Description which provides an overview of the practice and how and with whom it has been implemented; links to national content standards; and links to best places to find out how to implement the practice.
   2. Research to Practice Lesson Plan Starter, provided for all instructional skills.

3. Decision Rules. This is a table of the criteria used to determine if a practice has a strong, moderate, potential, or low level of evidence.
4. Coding Forms. This includes the general coding form and instructions, as well as the coding form and instructions for the Quality Indicator checklists.

Teaching/Training Ideas 

1. Use Research-to-Practice Lesson Plan Starters to write and teach a lesson to students (including evaluating effects of lesson).
2. Have students/participants write their own Research-to-Practice Lesson Plan Starters from intervention studies that include an explicit description of the intervention.
3. Have students/participants identify additional high or acceptable quality studies on a practice that is currently identified with a moderate, potential, or low level of evidence.
4. Use Coding Forms and Decision Rules to identify other evidence-based practices.
5. Create a checklist for teachers to determine the extent to which their own instructional practices align with current list of evidence-based practices in transition.

Related Secondary-level Evidence-Based Practices

The What Works Transition Research Synthesis Project (Grant #H324W010005) was funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to review and synthesize the past 20 years of research and advancements in the area of transition, academics, and dropout prevention for youth with disabilities at the secondary level.

Academic Syntheses 

Five syntheses were conducted that identified effective practices for increasing academic performance for secondary-level students with disabilities:

1. The Effects of Mnemonic Interventions on Academic Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities: A Systematic Review. Jennifer R. Wolgemuth and R. Brian Cobb, Colorado State University.
2. The Effects of Technology-Based Interventions on Academic Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities. James J. Dugan, R. Brian Cobb, Colorado State University; Morgen Alwell, Appalachian State University.
3. The Effects of Self-Management Interventions on Academic Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities. Jennifer R. Wolgemuth, R. Brian Cobb, James J. Dugan, Colorado State University.
4. Effects of Academic Peer Assistance Interventions on Academic Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities: A Systematic Review. Marc A. Winokur, R. Brian Cobb, James J. Dugan, Colorado State University.
5. The Effects of Visual Display Interventions on Academic Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities: A systematic Review. Jennifer R. Wolgemuth, Eric Trujillo, R. Brian Cobb, Colorado State University; Morgen Alwell, Appalachian State University

Future syntheses will include Inclusion and Strategy Instruction. The completed syntheses are located on the website of the National Post School Outcomes Center at: http://www.psocenter.org/publications.html

Dropout Synthesis

The synthesis on Cognitive Behavioral Interventions as a dropout prevention strategy, including both the full text and practice brief for educators can be found at the website of the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities at: http://www.ndpc-sd.org/documents/Practice_Guides/CBI_Practice_Brief.pdf

This document was produced under U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs Grant No. H326J050004. Marlene Simon-Burroughs served as the project officer. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or polices of the Department of Education. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, service or enterprise mentioned in this publication is intended or should be inferred. This product is public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be: 

National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (2008). Personnel Development #1: Using NSTTAC Indicator-13 Resources, Charlotte, NC, NSTTAC.