High School Transition Team Members’ Perception of Occupational Therapy–Conducted Transition Assessments

PURPOSE: Transition services are vital to ensure successful transitions from the postsecondary education setting to the community for adolescents with disabilities to prevent marginalization and occupational deprivation. The purpose of this study was to improve occupational therapy support to transition teams by evaluating feedback from team members regarding occupational therapy–conducted postsecondary transition assessments. This information can help occupational therapy practitioners use four basic tenets—occupational performance, vocational interests, sensory processing, and self-determination—to conduct meaningful assessments to help students with disabilities transition to postsecondary settings and to support high school transition teams.

METHOD: This project was a post hoc study using retrospectively analyzed program evaluation data. Program participants were recruited using a convenience sample of special educators who referred adult or adolescent students to a postsecondary transition readiness program. Special educators (N = 71) were given opportunities to provide survey feedback. All information was deidentified, and approval for the post hoc analysis was obtained through Northern Arizona University’s institutional review board.

The principal investigator (PI; an occupational therapist) conducted 18 transition assessments and collected 71 surveys from interdisciplinary transition and individualized education program (IEP) team members during a transition program evaluation. The PI interpreted and integrated the information into formal written transition assessments and presented the information to the referring team members during student IEP or transition planning meetings. During these meetings, the PI collected anonymous survey information from the special education professionals.

RESULTS: The study results yielded useful information regarding the agreed value that occupational therapy–conducted transition assessments bring to the transition team for transition planning. 90% of special educators surveyed indicated that occupational therapy transition assessments provided important information about students, including strengths, interests, preferences, deficits, and employment goals. 83% indicated that occupational therapy transition assessments provided important information about methods to improve student transition deficits and coursework recommendations that could improve the student’s transition outcomes. Additionally, 87% indicated that occupational therapy transition assessments provided important information about student goals for housing and for education and training.

CONCLUSION: The results of this project indicate that occupational therapists are able to provide assessment data that helps special education teams prepare students to transition from the secondary setting. The four areas that occupational therapists should incorporate when assessing students planning to transition are occupational performance, vocational interests, sensory processing, and self-determination.

IMPACT STATEMENT: The data collected in this study provide evidence that occupational therapists can use four basic tenets to conduct valuable transition assessments that establish them as primary evaluators of students preparing to transition to a postsecondary setting.

References

Erickson, A. S. G., Noonan, P. M., Zheng, C., & Brussow, J. A. (2014). The relationship between self-determination and academic achievement for adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 36, 45–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2014.09.008

Gangl, C., Neufeld, P., & Berg, C. (2011). A qualitative study of occupational therapy’s role in adolescent transition in a Midwestern coalition of many school districts. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, and Early Intervention, 4, 154–167. https://doi.org/10.1080/19411243.2011.595313

Shea, C.-K., & Giles, G. M. (2012). Occupational therapists’ and teachers’ differing beliefs about how they can assist continuation high school students’ transition to postsecondary education. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 28, 88–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/0164212X.2012.651368