THE TRANSITION FROM SCHOOL to work should be part of a lifelong process of learning for every student and all curricula should provide educational experiences to pave the way for this process. School-to-work (STW) is an umbrella term for activities, experiences, and opportunities that prepare students for the world of work and includes youth apprenticeships, mentoring, internships, job shadowing, career exploration, and integration of academic and vocational curriculum. This chapter provides background on STW, laws shaping requirements for STW programs, and research supporting STW components that can help shape the STW curriculum. Recommendations are provided for curricular elements of an STW program, and trends in STW are forecast./// Two significant developments in federal legislation have implications for facilitating the STW process for deaf students. The first is the well-known Education for All Handicapped Children Act and its subsequent reauthorizations as the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The second impetus has come from the School-to-Work Opportunities Act (STWOA) of 1994 (Public Law 103-239), which allows access to funds to establish statewide STW opportunity systems. STWOA is a federal law executed by both the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor./// In 1994, as part of the national movement for educational reform, Congress passed the STWOA, which recognized the importance of including every student from kindergarten through grade 12, with special focus on the needs of women, minorities, and disabled individuals. Linked with IDEA, STWOA requires that educational programs have STW transition plans for all disabled students 16 years of age and older. STWOA also stipulates that trade school or college, as well as work, is to be considered employment and as part of a transition. Thus, transition plans can ensure better preparation for both college and work. If a student enters the world of work, transition opportunities are state- and locally based and are seen as incorporated into school, family, business, and community partnerships. These partnerships, along with effective staff development for teachers, professionals, and industry participants, and willing and motivated students, promote successful transitions into the world of work./// IDEA has helped to promote academic and career development of students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Individualized education programs (IEP) are required under this act for all students with disabilities who are receiving services in school. An IEP outlines all the academic services a student will receive, including the transition plan for students age 16 years or older. Transition plans detail specific programs, activities, and services that address the obstacles that youth with disabilities face as they make the transition to work. © 2006 by Gallaudet University Press. All rights reserved.
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