Addendum A: Focus Group Results

(Note: Participants often contributed multiple responses to each question)

Pre-Graduation:

Question 1: What do you want to do after you graduate from high school?

School/College (17)

Work (14)

Increase skills (7)

Family/Friends (7)

Hobby (6)

Own home/live alone (4)

New car/phone (3)

Don’t know (1)

Question 2: Do you have a school plan that helps you get to what you want to do when you graduate?

Yes, an IEP (20)

A Transition Plan is in process (3)

No Transition Plan (2)

No IEP (2)

Yes, a specific Transition Plan (1)

Question 3: How are you involved in making that plan?

I speak up (12)

I attend the meetings (12)

I only respond when asked (5)

I seek information or talk to others (4)

I facilitate the meetings (4)

I schedule my meetings (3)

I follow the goals (1)

No IEP meetings (1)

Question 4: What does the school do to help you with your plan?

Assist me with planning and give me advice when I ask (12)

Teach me community skills (8)

Help me to make connections with agencies (6)

Nothing (5)

Help me to discover my interests (4)

Help me to find a job (3)

Treat me as an adult (1)

Pre-Graduation:

Question 5: What do you wish the school would do to help you with your plan?

Help more with IEP goals/supports (11)

Nothing (7)

Help more with self-determination (6)

Help more with job skills (4)

Help me have a clear understanding of what’s available (2)

Give information about parent’s rights (2)

Help with day services and respite (2)

Question 6: What do you wish the school would do differently?

Yes, have training for Teacher Aides and substitute teachers (5)

Nothing (4)

Yes, give me more time to work or modify work/tests (4)

Yes, teachers need better pay and more team to be teachers instead of distracted by student disciplinary problems (4)

Yes, extend school year/IEP (3)

Yes, realize the significant shortage of Special Ed. Teachers and that they have to leave the classroom frequently (3)

No comment (2)

Yes, change some teachers not to be so strict in class (2)

Yes, stop throwing up barriers (2)

Yes, bridge the gap between regular and Special Ed. (2)

Yes, reduce the high turnover of teachers (2)

Yes, get items required on IEP in timely fashion (1)

Yes, have a better transition between new teachers (1)

Yes, help get rid of negative perceptions about students “us and them” (1)

Yes, remember that Special Ed. Students have a right to have a dream for tomorrow (1)

Yes, understand sexuality (1)

Yes, get more funding (1)

Yes, have onsite support and coordination (1)

Yes, more community based skills training (1)

Yes, offer bi-lingual supports (1)

Yes, have concurrent enrollment (1)

Post-Graduation:

Question 1: How do you spend your day now?

At work (26)

Free time/hobbies (10)

At home (8)

Going to/fro (3)

At Medical or therapy (2)

At college/classes (2)

At Day habilitation (1)

Post-Graduation:

Question 2: How did the school help you get ready for your life now?

A specific class at high school (9)

A specific class at college (3)

Job Development (3)

A specific person at school (3)

Can’t remember (2)

Friends at school (1)

School didn’t help (1)

Question 3: What do you wish the school would have done differently to prepare you for your life now?

Teachers help more intervening with the mistreatment from other students (28)

Teachers to not mistreat me themselves (22)

Help more with specific classes (5)

Help me to get a job (2)

Have follow-up at job (1)

Help me to be in an inclusive classroom (1)

Nothing (1)

Question 4: Did you have a school plan for what you would do after you graduated?

Yes, a formal plan (IEP) (8)

Yes, an informal plan (1)

No (1)

Not sure (1)

Question 5: Did the school plan include what you really wanted to do after you graduated?

Yes (6)

No (3)

No comment (1)

Question 6: How were you involved in making that plan?

Participated in making the plan (3)

No plan, but got help elsewhere (2)

Not involved (2)

Fought for the plan (1)

Question 7: Did the school help you connect with any agencies?

Yes, DVR (3)

Yes, Job Fair/Job Corp. (2)

Yes, Local service provider (2)

Yes, College information (1)

No, the school did not connect me to any agencies (3)

No, my friend helped me to connect (2)

No, I contacted DVR myself (1)

No, my family member helped me to connect (1)

Post-Graduation:

Question 8: Do you wish the school would have had helped you connect with other community supports that would help you now?

Yes (13)

No (1)

When asked, “…connected to what?” Responses included:

Self-advocacy groups (7)

Transportation (3)

Youth activities (1)

Day camp (1)

Horseback riding (1)

Job Corp. (1)

DVR (1)