Pre-service Education Teachers' Understanding of the Transition Planning Process

For individuals with disabilities the transition from school to adopting adult roles within the community often presents numerous challenges. In a sample of pre-service education teachers, perceptions of school to community transitions of students with disabilities were investigated. Pre-service education teachers completed a three-page questionnaire in order to gather information about their knowledge of the transition planning process. The questionnaire consisted of fifteen questions plus four demographic questions, through which pre-service teachers' prior knowledge on transitions and of the transition planning process was assessed. The results highlighted the lack of knowledge and inconsistent perceptions that pre-service education teachers possess regarding the transition planning process. Pre-service teachers were not provided with training in transition planning, and as a consequence were not sufficiently informed about their roles and responsibilities in the process. These findings highlight the need for a definitive legislative definition and framework to inform pre-service training.