Supporting Transition In Vocation and Education (STRIVE)

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) proposal is to develop Supporting Transition In Vocation and Education (STRIVE) postsecondary transitional support training materials for use in special education or advocacy settings for individuals with Asperger Syndrome and/or High-Functioning Autism (AS/HFA). STRIVE will be an innovative, skill-building resource designed specifically for late adolescents and young adults, ages 16 to 21, with AS/HFA as they transition from high school to post-secondary education or work. Individuals with AS/HFA often have difficulty with social interactions, organization, and abstract thinking, which makes tasks like interviewing for a job, completing college applications, and searching for an apartment especially challenging. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates transition planning during high school; however, staff often lack the resources, training, and tools needed to effectively teach students with AS/HFA to successfully complete these tasks. Using a modular design, STRIVE will be created for use by professionals or paraprofessionals in advocacy organizations or schools. An innovative STRIVE component will also include co-facilitation by a young adult with AS/HFA who has successfully transitioned into post-secondary life. The proposed product will include a facilitator's guide, student workbook, and video/DVD. The unique combination of peer mentors, workbook and facilitator activities, and video/DVD scenarios will make STRIVE a flexible and easy-to-implement resource in a variety of settings, including schools, support groups, and advocacy groups. In Phase I of the project period, we will conduct formative research with professionals, advocates, parents, and young adults with AS/HFA. We will also write the full content for the facilitator's guide and student workbook for one module of STRIVE and film the video/DVD clips component for that module. A feasibility study will be conducted to determine the acceptability and effectiveness of the module. STRIVE will be the only comprehensive training resource to assist adolescents and young adults with AS/HFA as they transition from high school to post-secondary settings. By providing teachers, advocates, or other professionals the materials needed to effectively support students' transition to post-secondary life, this tool ultimately will increase services and improve outcomes for young adults with autism spectrum disorders. The purpose of this Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) proposal is to develop Supporting Transition In Vocation and Education (STRIVE) postsecondary transitional support training materials for use in special education or advocacy settings for individuals with Asperger Syndrome and/or High-Functioning Autism (AS/HFA). STRIVE will be an innovative, skill-building resource designed specifically for late adolescents and young adults, ages 16 to 21, with AS/HFA as they transition from high school to post- secondary education or work.