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What Are the Elements of a Successful Transition Process?
The Capstone Transition Process (Johnson, Cook, & Yongue, 1990) is one model that provides clear guidelines for the transition process. The first activity initiates long-range planning by establishing a "transition timeline." This timeline serves as a guide for accomplishing transition activities and can be set up in chart form to track activities. The Capstone Transition Process addresses specific activities beginning 12 months before the move to a new program. The process includes preparation, implementation, and evaluation activities. The initial steps of the process are designed to prepare the participants for their role in the transition. Steps include notifying and preparing parents and teachers from both the sending and receiving programs. Data on the child's needs are collected or updated. A profile of communication procedures, available services, prerequisite skills, and teacher expectations is developed from existing information. The preparation phase of the process culminates with the development by the transition team of an IEP for use as the basis of educational programming in the new setting. Following the IEP meeting, the timeline provides reminders for the transfer of information and records to the receiving program. The final step calls for evaluation of the effectiveness of the process.
Capstone Transition Timeline
- Develop the transition timeline.
- Notify appropriate administrators of the student's approaching transition.
- Inform parent(s)/primary caregiver(s) that the child will be making the transition and collect information on family transition needs.
- Determine the communication policy of the potential receiving program(s) and obtain a description of the program(s).
- Obtain information from teacher(s) in potential receiving program(s) regarding the program/classroom overview and skills perceived as important for transition into the classroom.
- Verify the receipt of transition information and/or follow-up request for the transition information or additional information.
- Reevaluate: verify the student's assessment and eligibility.
- Prepare the parents for the transition planning meeting.
- Hold the transition planning meeting.
- Hold the IEP meeting. Obtain permission from the parents to release information.
- Provide information to all transition team participants.
- Link the parent/primary caregiver of the transitioning child with a parent/primary caregiver of a child already attending the new program.
- Send the receiving program all pertinent records and verify the receipt of the records.
- Provide the receiving program with information about the child's current program.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the process after completion.
References
Bernheimer, L. P., Gallimore, R., & Weisner, T. S. (1990). Ecocultural theory as a context for the individual family service plan. Journal of Early Intervention, 14(3), 219-233.
Carta, J. J., Atwater, J. B., Schwartz, I. S., & Miller, P. A. (1990). Applications of ecobehavioral analysis to the study of transitions across early education settings. Education and Treatment of Children, 13(4), 298-315.
Carta, J. J., Atwater, J. B., & Schwartz, I. S. (1991, April). The effects of classroom survival skills intervention on young children with disabilities: Results of a two-year follow-up. Presentation of the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Seattle, WA.
Executive Office of the President. (1990). National goals for education. Washington, DC: EOP. ED 319 143
Fowler, S. A., Schwartz, I. & Atwater, J. (1991). Perspectives on the transition from preschool to kindergarten for children with disabilities and their families. Exceptional Children, 58(2), 136-145.
Hains, A. H., Fowler, S. A., & Chandler, L. K. (1988). Planning school transitions: Family and professional collaboration. Journal of the Division for Early Childhood, 12(2), 108-115. EJ 368 964
Johnson, L. J., Cook, M., & Yongue, C. P. (1990). Capstone Transition Process. Unpublished manuscript, University of Alabama.
Shearer, M. S., & Shearer, D. E. (1977). Parent involvement. In J. B. Jordan, A. H. Hayden, M. B. Karnes, & M. M. Wood (Eds.), Early childhood education for exceptional children: A handbook of ideas and exemplary practices. Reston, VA: The Council for Exceptional Children. ED 132 788
Thirteenth annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Education of the Handicapped Act 1990. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
This publication was prepared by Dianna Pinkerton with funding from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, under contract no. RI88062007. The opinions expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of OERI or the Department of Education.
ERIC Digests are in the public domain and may be freely reproduced and disseminated.
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