Navigating the Transition from High School to College for Students With Disabilities

As students with disabilities attend two- and four-year colleges in increasing numbers and through expanding access opportunities, challenges remain in helping youth with disabilities and their families prepare for and successfully transition into higher education. Navigating the Transition from High School to College for Students with Disabilitiesprovides school professionals with effective strategies to help students with disabilities navigate the transition process from high school into college. This practical guide applies to a wide range of disability types and offers user-friendly resources, including vignettes, research summaries, and hands-on activities that can be easily implemented in the classroom and in the community and that facilitate strong collaboration between schools and families. Preparation issues such as financial aid, application, benefits planning, student insurance, testing, and further long-term plans are addressed in detail for families, including those of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and belief systems.

Professionals and families supporting transition activities are often unaware of today’s new and rapidly developing options for postsecondary education. Framing higher education as a possible transition goal for all students with disabilities,Navigating the Transition from High School to College for Students with Disabilitiessupports the postsecondary interests of more than four million public school students with disabilities.