DOCUMENT RESUME ED 414 660 EC 305 886 AUTHOR Wehmeyer, Michael; Kelchner, Kathy TITLE Whose Future Is It Anyway? A Student-Directed Transition Planning Process. INSTITUTION Arc, Arlington, TX. SPONS AGENCY Women's Educational Equity Act Program (ED), Washington, DC. PUB DATE 1995-00-00 NOTE 311p. CONTRACT S083A30527 AVAILABLE FROM Arc National Headquarters, 500 East Border Street, Suite 300, Arlington, TX 76010. PUB TYPE Books (010) Guides Non-Classroom (055) EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS. DESCRIPTORS Communication Skills; *Developmental Disabilities; Goal Orientation; Individualized Education Programs; Leadership; *Mild Mental Retardation; Participative Decision Making; *Personal Autonomy; Secondary Education; Self Advocacy; *Self Determination; Self Evaluation (Individuals); Student Educational Objectives; *Student Participation; Student Rights; *Transitional Prpgrams ABSTRACT This docment consists of a large student manual and a small 17-page "Coach's Guide" that has the same main title. The program covered is designed to help students with mild cognitive and developmental, disabilities to participate in the transition planning process. It explores issues of self-awareness and attempts to help students develop problem solving, decision making, goal setting, and small-group communication skills. Both the manual and coach's guide are organized by the program's 36 sessions. The sessions are grouped topically, including sessions on self-awareness, making decisions, utilizing community resources, setting goals and objectives, communication skills, meetings, and leadership skills. Each session section typically includes an action plan goal, introductory material, sample problems or examples from the lives of people with disabilities, and exercises to practice. (DB) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** 0 1/4o Whose FutureIs It Anyway., A STUDENT-DIRECTED TRANSITI ON PLANNI NG PROCESS developed by rnichael wehrneyer, Ph.D. kathy kelc.hner, M.Ed. ArcT he a national organization on mental retardation PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND The Arc National Headquarters DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL IN MICROFICHE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND IN ELECTRONIC MEDIA FOR ERIC Office of Educational Research and Improvement 500 East Border Street, S uite 300 COLLECTION SUBSCRIBERS ONLY, EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) HAS BEEN GRANTED BY 2/Thisdocument has been reproduced as Arlington, TX 76010 received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Points of view or opinions stated in this 2 2A INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. an COPY AVAILVIDIE WHOSE FUTURE IS ITANYMME2 A STUDENT-DIRECTED TRANSITION PLANNING PROCESS developed by michael wehmeyer, PhD. kathy kelchner, M.Ed. ArcT h e The Arc National Headquarters 500 East Border Street, Suite 300 Arlington, TX 76010 This material was developed with funding from the U5.Department of Education, Office of Secondary and Elementary Education through the Women's Educational Equity Act Program, Grant #5083A30527. @ 1995 The Arc National Headquarters. This material cannot be reproduced or distributed without permission from the authors. THE PROGRAM Introduction Whose Future Is It Allying) Good question. Where does this lead? Well, on the way to your future, it leads to you taking All you have to do is look around you. control of your IEP or transition Really, who's inchargehere? You? planning meeting. Just think, today you Oh, you are? Well, it's hard to tell. don't know what one is and tomorrow Mainly because you're letting those you are leading one! Other peopte make all those school decisions for you. Most stuff in schools is written for teachers. This is DIFFERENT. It really Yeah, yeah... I understand. You're not is. You'll have to believe me. HONEST. letting them, they're just doing it. And This stuff, right here in your very own besides, that's their job...isn't it?I mean, hands, is written for you to use. For you they're paid to do that. Also, that's pretty to tell you what you need to do. boring stuff.You just put up with it and soon enough you will be done.And, hey, who wants to go to a meeting With this stuff, everything you do leads where they talk about all the things you do wrong?so, it's not to one thing. You're going to take more your fault or your problem 7777777 7777777 7777777 control in your school planning meeting. You. Incharge.Incontra Sorry, I fell asleep. All those excuses and stuff. Why? Good question. Because it's your You see, the problem here is that it's future. You knew I was going to say your future they're talking about. It's that, didn't you? Oh yeah, and because your future they are planning. It's your it's important. Yeah, yeah, I know...it's future on the line here. I mean, boring, it's someoneelse's job, those meetings arc shouldn't you be involved here? long Somewhere? Anywhere? It's your future. Can you think of All right. Just for kicks let's say that you anything more important to do one want to do something about this. Where afternoon? Plan your own future. do you start? Choose goals to work on. Tell people what you like to do, what you are good Right here. Just turn the pages. Read or at, what you don't like, what you are not listen to the words. Do the activities. good at. See how well you are doing. I didn't think so. Oh, and that stuff about Other People making your decisions. Well, it's not like you replace them and make I'm also an ear so I can listen. all your decisions. I mean, it doesn't In one way, I'm just you. work that way in real life, no way, no how. These Other People are folks Kind of like talking to yourself. And no who need to be helping you make one is going to think you're one taco decisions. short of a combination plate for doing it! Teachers. Parents. Friends. We're not going to kick them out. They THE PURPOSE probably want you to take morecontrol You may ask yourself: anyway. They'retire dof making all "Self, why should I do this?" your decisions for you. Good question. Why should you spend So, why don't youJUST DO IT? JUST your time going throughTHE PROGRAM? JUMP INandLeadyour IEP. Yeah, right. Imean, what isTHE PURPOSE?Well No work, no muss, no fuss, no sweat. It ain't that easy. Nothing ever is. There's MrtalLir are the real expert on stuff you've got to learn, things you have to work out. "5r4a1E.7! "srco-u- will get more from So how about it. Are you with me? You choose. You can let someone else make school if n52'c)1E7 help all those decisions for you or you can get choose 5512'falE3r3EL own withTHE PROGRAMand take more goals. control. '52'01E7 have the right to make Good. choices about "52'C)T.73EL life. Oh, what's that? Who am I? X52' ©33 have the right to know '52"CO1E3DEL rights. szb If '5rfa33 don't let Other People know what-45E-4:::YE7want to A mouth, nothing more. do after -452' C:k1E7 graduate, Well, that's not entirely true. how will they ever know? Let's look at these more closely. 2 EXTRA!! NEWS FLASH!! You are the real expert You have the right to on you! make choices about your life. (UPI) THE PROGRAM will help you figure out and (REM) Most people work talk aboutwhat you like harder when they choose anddon't like. Whenyou their work or what they are are done with THE PROGRAM doing. Choices can be you will know what you do about easy things like what best, where you might need to eat or what to wear and some help, and what you harder things like where to should work on to get where go to college or what job you want to be. You will to apply for. To make learn how to tell Othe choices, you have to know People what you want in what you like and don't your life. You will learn like, what you are good at how to be a Leader at and notso goodat, what meetingsabout you. You you want and what you need. will learn how to speak up for yourself. You will get more from school if you help You have the right to choose your own goals. know your rights. (AP) Most people work (U2) You willlearn about harder for things they your rights for transition really want. THE PROGRAM and school planning. You will help you learn skills will learn your rights tospeak up and tell the about planning meetings. Other Peoplein your life You will learn about your what you want to do as an rights and what is adult. Bysetting goals available for you to meet for yourself and working your goals as an adult. By toward those goals you will learning your rights you probably work harder and can get more control in learn more. your life. 3 FUN FACT: Did you know that there is a important for you to lead your planning law that gives you the right to the meeting. Each part has a goal. You'll support you need to learn, if you need it? learn more about goals later. This law is called the "Individuals with The 6 parts are: Disabilities Education Act," or just IDEA. You get these support services if 1.Getting to know '52-CYT.7 you have any disability that makes 2.