Transition by Design: Improving Equity and Outcomes for Adolescents with Disabilities

Transitions to adulthood for adolescents with disabilities are as diverse as the adolescents themselves. While there have been marked improvements for students with disabilities, there is still concern that employment education and independent living outcomes are not equitable across groups of students. For example, adolescents of color are more likely to face exclusionary discipline procedures in school resulting in detention and court involvement which, in turn, can limit access to educational opportunities in inclusive settings. Recommending a shift toward strengths-based approaches to research and practice, Trainor explores how all stakeholders, including researchers and practitioners, can help shape equitable opportunities for youth with disabilities in transition. Transition by Design reframes disability, diversity, and equity during the transition from high school to adulthood.

“Audrey Trainor offers an excellent treatise on transition research and practice as cultural acts that lead to differential outcomes for youth with disabilities, particularly for those from historically marginalized groups. Each of us must heed her call to examine how our personal and professional cultures influence our work and contribute to equity, or inequity, in programs and services for these populations.”
—Alba A. Ortiz, professor emerita, The University of Texas at Austin

“With passion and precision, Trainor calls us to see the work of transition education through new and broader lenses. Her remarkable book pushes the field to pursue equity and ensure every young person with a disability can flourish.”
—Erik Carter, professor, Vanderbilt University