Transition services at the high school level can make a positive difference in the postsecondary outcomes of students with disabilities by providing them a program of study or training at the secondary level. Transition services can also assist them in aquiring an education, vocational training, rehabilitative services, and work opportunities as they enter the postsecondary world of young adulthood.
The purpose of this study is to compare the transition programs of 3 Southwest Virginia school systems in an effort to determine the difference a full-time transition coordinator could make in the postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities.
Findings revealed significant differences in the outcomes of students with disabilities in the 3 Southwest Virginia county school systems and the Commonwealth of Virginia Public Schools. Differences were revealed in (1) the percentage of students with disabilities who graduated with regular diplomas (either advanced or standard diplomas) and (2) the percentage of students who met the definition of Indicator 14. Each of the 3 Southwest Virginia county school systems has fewer positive outcomes than did students in the Commonwealth of Virginia Public Schools.
Analysis also revealed there were no significant differences between Southwest Virginia school systems with and without a full-time transition coordinator in relation to postsecondary education, vocational training, and employment outcomes. The system with a full-time transition coordinator (Wise County) had least positive outcomes than did each of the other 2 Southwest Virginia county school systems. While there were no significant differences in the county with a full-time transition coordinator and the 2 counties without the coordinators, the graduation rates could have been even lower if the one county did not have a full-time transition coordinator.
","abstract_html":"<p>Transition services at the high school level can make a positive difference in the postsecondary outcomes of students with disabilities by providing them a program of study or training at the secondary level. Transition services can also assist them in aquiring an education, vocational training, rehabilitative services, and work opportunities as they enter the postsecondary world of young adulthood.</p><p>The purpose of this study is to compare the transition programs of 3 Southwest Virginia school systems in an effort to determine the difference a full-time transition coordinator could make in the postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities.</p><p>Findings revealed significant differences in the outcomes of students with disabilities in the 3 Southwest Virginia county school systems and the Commonwealth of Virginia Public Schools. Differences were revealed in (1) the percentage of students with disabilities who graduated with regular diplomas (either advanced or standard diplomas) and (2) the percentage of students who met the definition of Indicator 14. Each of the 3 Southwest Virginia county school systems has fewer positive outcomes than did students in the Commonwealth of Virginia Public Schools.</p><p>Analysis also revealed there were no significant differences between Southwest Virginia school systems with and without a full-time transition coordinator in relation to postsecondary education, vocational training, and employment outcomes. The system with a full-time transition coordinator (Wise County) had least positive outcomes than did each of the other 2 Southwest Virginia county school systems. While there were no significant differences in the county with a full-time transition coordinator and the 2 counties without the coordinators, the graduation rates could have been even lower if the one county did not have a full-time transition coordinator.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Myers, James R., Jr."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"EdD (Doctor of Education)","degree_level":"Dissertation - unrestricted","degree_discipline":"Educational Leadership","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-05-07T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-05-07T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:20:14Z","subjects":["Indicator 14","Postsecondary","Special Education","Transition Services","Disability and Equity in Education","Education","Student Counseling and Personnel Services"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1276","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Myers, James R., Jr."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["1990-01-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2011-05-07T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educational Leadership"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - unrestricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["EdD (Doctor of Education)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Indicator 14","Postsecondary","Special Education","Transition Services","Disability and Equity in Education","Education","Student Counseling and Personnel Services"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2467/viewcontent/MyersJ042411f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1276"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Transition services at the high school level can make a positive difference in the postsecondary outcomes of students with disabilities by providing them a program of study or training at the secondary level. Transition services can also assist them in aquiring an education, vocational training, rehabilitative services, and work opportunities as they enter the postsecondary world of young adulthood.
The purpose of this study is to compare the transition programs of 3 Southwest Virginia school systems in an effort to determine the difference a full-time transition coordinator could make in the postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities.
Findings revealed significant differences in the outcomes of students with disabilities in the 3 Southwest Virginia county school systems and the Commonwealth of Virginia Public Schools. Differences were revealed in (1) the percentage of students with disabilities who graduated with regular diplomas (either advanced or standard diplomas) and (2) the percentage of students who met the definition of Indicator 14. Each of the 3 Southwest Virginia county school systems has fewer positive outcomes than did students in the Commonwealth of Virginia Public Schools.
Analysis also revealed there were no significant differences between Southwest Virginia school systems with and without a full-time transition coordinator in relation to postsecondary education, vocational training, and employment outcomes. The system with a full-time transition coordinator (Wise County) had least positive outcomes than did each of the other 2 Southwest Virginia county school systems. While there were no significant differences in the county with a full-time transition coordinator and the 2 counties without the coordinators, the graduation rates could have been even lower if the one county did not have a full-time transition coordinator.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Special Education Transition Programs for Three Southwest Virginia School Systems: A Comparative Study."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Myers, James R., Jr."],"dc:date.available":["1990-01-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2011-05-07T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Transition services at the high school level can make a positive difference in the postsecondary outcomes of students with disabilities by providing them a program of study or training at the secondary level. Transition services can also assist them in aquiring an education, vocational training, rehabilitative services, and work opportunities as they enter the postsecondary world of young adulthood.
The purpose of this study is to compare the transition programs of 3 Southwest Virginia school systems in an effort to determine the difference a full-time transition coordinator could make in the postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities.
Findings revealed significant differences in the outcomes of students with disabilities in the 3 Southwest Virginia county school systems and the Commonwealth of Virginia Public Schools. Differences were revealed in (1) the percentage of students with disabilities who graduated with regular diplomas (either advanced or standard diplomas) and (2) the percentage of students who met the definition of Indicator 14. Each of the 3 Southwest Virginia county school systems has fewer positive outcomes than did students in the Commonwealth of Virginia Public Schools.
Analysis also revealed there were no significant differences between Southwest Virginia school systems with and without a full-time transition coordinator in relation to postsecondary education, vocational training, and employment outcomes. The system with a full-time transition coordinator (Wise County) had least positive outcomes than did each of the other 2 Southwest Virginia county school systems. While there were no significant differences in the county with a full-time transition coordinator and the 2 counties without the coordinators, the graduation rates could have been even lower if the one county did not have a full-time transition coordinator.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2467/viewcontent/MyersJ042411f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1276"],"dc:rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"dc:subject":["Indicator 14","Postsecondary","Special Education","Transition Services","Disability and Equity in Education","Education","Student Counseling and Personnel Services"],"dc:title":["Special Education Transition Programs for Three Southwest Virginia School Systems: A Comparative Study."],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educational Leadership"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation - unrestricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["EdD (Doctor of Education)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:20:14Z"}