| This article discusses a promising practice aimed at supporting efforts to improve transition for students with disabilities after high school through “Virtual Community Conversations”. Community conversations have been used extensively to identify creative, local solutions to an array of issues that matter in the lives of youth with disabilities and their families, particularly around the transition to adulthood. The research questions addressed in this study include: · What local resources do community members identify for supporting the transition of youth with IDD? · What recommendations do community members have for supporting the transitions of youth with IDD? · How do community members view virtual community conversation events for addressing the transition of youth with IDD? Several major themes emerged in the virtual conversations including, but not limited to, how to expand local employment options for transition age youth, the need to improve transition programming in schools, as well as the need to expand transportation options. Ultimately, the authors found that communities did take lessons learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic and that implementing a virtual approach to community conversations was an effective way to bring stakeholders together to address transition- related challenges in local communities. However, they also encourage continued refinement of virtual community conversations and further study of its impact on efforts to improving outcomes for transition aged youth with IDD. Citation: Journal of INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES Virtual Community Conversations as a Catalyst for Improving Transitions for Youth with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2024, Vol. 62, No. 4, 306–322 |
| Coming Soon! After months of conducting surveys, interviews, and focus groups throughout the state we are in the final stages of producing our report on the Impact of the Direct Support Professional on Individuals Served by the Regional Center System. Follow us on our social media challenge for updates on the upcoming release.📅 |
