Educating students with disabilities is a team process. By federal law, parents must be involved in the development of their child's educational plan. Unfortunately, few parents (or regular educators) understand special education-its terms, philosophies, and processes. This book explains, in layperson terms, what special education is and how to make the special education process more successful for everyone involved. Chapters cover history and legalities of preparing children with disabilities for life, transition of families, preparation for employment, residential living, community adjustment, recreation, interpersonal relationships, life-long learning, and developing educational plans. Hundreds of additional resources for parents of children with disabilities including lists of professional organizations, useful websites, support groups, and other books for further learning on special education are also provided.

While intended for parents and family members of children with disabilities, it will also be of interest to educators who are unfamiliar with special education as well as special educators who are new to the field.

By Robert Evert Cimera

Chapter 1 Preface
Chapter 2 Acknowledgments
Chapter 3 1 An Introduction to Transition
Chapter 4 2 The History and Legalities of Preparing Children with Disabilities for Life
Chapter 5 3 Transitions of Families with Children
Chapter 6 4 Important Transitions Prior to and During School
Chapter 7 5 Preparing Children with Disabilities for Employment
Chapter 8 6 Preparing Children with Disabilities for Residential Living
Chapter 9 7 Preparing Children with Disabilities for Community Adjustment
Chapter 10 8 Preparing Children with Disabilities for Recreation
Chapter 11 9 Preparing Children with Disabilities for Interpersonal Relationships
Chapter 12 10 Preparing Children with Disabilities for Lifelong Learning
Chapter 13 11 Developing Educational Plans for Transition
Chapter 14 References
Chapter 15 Index
Chapter 16 About the Author