Assistive Technology and Transition Planning

Transition planning connects special education services to life after high school, including postsecondary education, employment, and independent living. Assistive technology can play a role in this transition when a student's IEP team identifies AT devices or services as part of the transition planning process. This page provides a general educational overview of how AT considerations connect to IDEA transition requirements and does not constitute legal advice or guarantee any individual outcome.

WHAT IS TRANSITION PLANNING UNDER IDEA

Transition services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are a coordinated set of activities designed to help a student move from school to post-school activities. These activities focus on the student's strengths, preferences, and interests, and may include instruction, related services, community experiences, and the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives. Transition planning does not replace the rest of the IEP; it is incorporated into it starting at a specific age, described below.

THE TRANSITION IEP AND AGE REQUIREMENTS

Under federal regulations, a student's IEP must include transition-related content beginning not later than the first IEP in effect when the student turns 16, or younger if the IEP team determines it is appropriate. Some states set an earlier age requirement. Each year afterward, the IEP team reviews and updates the transition plan as the student's goals and needs change. See Education, IDEA & IEPs for general information on the IEP process.

AGE-APPROPRIATE TRANSITION ASSESSMENTS

Age-appropriate transition assessments help the IEP team and student identify strengths, preferences, interests, and needs related to future education, employment, and independent living. These assessments may include interest inventories, adaptive behavior assessments, and observations of the student in different settings. Assessment results, rather than assumptions about a student's abilities, are intended to guide postsecondary goals and any related assistive technology discussion.

POSTSECONDARY GOAL DOMAINS

IDEA regulations require measurable postsecondary goals in the areas of training, education, and employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills. These goals describe what the student plans to do after leaving high school. The IEP team then identifies transition services, including any needed courses of study, to help the student work toward each goal.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY CONSIDERATION IN TRANSITION PLANNING

As with other parts of the IEP, the IEP team considers whether assistive technology devices or services are needed to help a student reach transition goals. This consideration is part of the team's decision-making process; it does not guarantee that a specific device or service will be provided, and consideration is separate from automatic entitlement. An AT device is a piece of equipment used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities, while an AT service is support that helps a person select, acquire, or use that device. For more information on this process, see AT Assessment & Selection.

AT FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING GOALS

When a postsecondary goal involves college, vocational training, or other education after high school, the IEP team may discuss AT that supports reading, writing, organization, or communication in those settings. IDEA entitlements and IEP services do not automatically transfer to college or postsecondary training programs. Students who plan to attend college typically request accommodations directly from the institution's disability services office under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which use an eligibility-based process rather than an automatic continuation of K-12 services. See Assistive Technology for College and Postsecondary Education for more information.

AT FOR EMPLOYMENT GOALS

When a postsecondary goal involves employment, the IEP team may discuss AT that supports job-related tasks, communication, or workplace organization. After high school, workplace accommodations, including AT, are generally addressed through an employer's human resources or disability services process under the ADA rather than through IDEA. See Employment & Workplace Accommodations for general information on workplace accommodations.

AT FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING GOALS

When appropriate for the student, the IEP team may also address independent living goals, such as managing daily routines, personal organization, or communication in community settings. AT tools that support these goals may include reminder and scheduling apps, communication supports, or other tools already used in the student's education program. See Assistive Technology for Executive Function and Communication & AAC for related tool categories.

STUDENT PARTICIPATION AND AGENCY COORDINATION

Students are invited to attend any IEP meeting where transition services are discussed, and their input helps shape postsecondary goals. When a student reaches the age of majority under state law, certain educational decision-making rights transfer from the parent to the student, unless other legal arrangements are in place. With parental or student consent, the IEP team may also invite representatives from outside agencies that may provide or pay for services after the student leaves high school.

FEATURE MATCHING

As with any AT decision, matching a student's needs to a tool's features is part of a careful evaluation process rather than a one-time selection. This includes comparing the demands of the student's postsecondary goals to the features of available tools and considering how well a tool will transfer to environments outside the K-12 school setting. See AT Assessment & Selection for more information on this process.

RELATED ASSISTIVETECHNOLOGY.ORG RESOURCES

For general information on the IEP process, see Education, IDEA & IEPs. For information on workplace accommodations and the ADA, see Employment & Workplace Accommodations. For information on evaluating and selecting AT tools, see AT Assessment & Selection. Readers interested in tools that may support independent living goals may also wish to see Assistive Technology for Executive Function and Communication & AAC.

AUTHORITATIVE RESOURCES

The following official sources provide additional information on IDEA transition requirements: the U.S. Department of Education's Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) website, which includes transition-related regulations and guidance documents, and ADA.gov, the official website of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which addresses workplace and postsecondary accommodations. The specific transition requirements referenced on this page come from 34 CFR 300.320(b) of the IDEA regulations.

ABOUT THIS PAGE

This page is provided for general educational purposes and is maintained by Accessibility Clinic, Inc. It is not legal advice, and transition planning needs vary by student and by state, so the information here does not constitute individualized recommendations. For an individualized evaluation, see AssistiveTechnologyEvaluations.org.