IDEA requires that every student receiving special education services in a public school will receive a post‐secondary transition plan no later than the age of 16. This transition plan outlines the st

IDEA requires that every student receiving special education services in a public school will receive a post‐secondary transition plan no later than the age of 16. This transition plan outlines the st 1

Gabriel Case Scenario

Gabriel is a 14-year-old student with a mild cognitive disability and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). According to his IEP, he is identified as a student with ASD. His verbal skills have dramatically improved in the past six years. Gabriel's family is actively involved in Gabriel's education and transition planning process. Gabriel lives at home with his mother and father, his older brother and younger sister. His mother and father immigrated to the United States from Mexico 12 years ago. All of the children were born in the United States and they speak both English and Spanish fluently. His parents expect Gabriel to live with them for at least the next 10 years. When they are no longer able to care for him, Gabriel will live with one of his siblings, most likely his sister. Gabriel's independent living skills are important to his family. In fact, at times his teachers were concerned that Gabriel did too much housework in comparison to his siblings because sometimes he would arrive at school smelling of bleach and appeared tired. When asked about this, his parents explained that work was good for him and that he enjoyed it.

Gabriel was provided with the services of an interpreter in elementary and middle school and training in sign language. His IEP team, including his parents, discontinued the services because they agreed that he was not benefitting from the services and that he could effectively communicate orally. When needed, Gabriel has the ability to use the Picture Exchange Communication System if he is experiencing difficulty communicating orally. Gabriel can independently take directions and answer questions that require a yes or no response in both English and Spanish.

Gabriel loves watching movies at home with his sister. His older brother played soccer in high school and now plays in college. Gabriel can run fast, and has picked up some soccer skills from his brother's lessons like shooting the ball and passing to a teammate. He has participated a few times in track and field in the Special Olympics. He has few opportunities for fun outside the family home, and his parents are open to him having leisure activities as long as he gets his chores done at home.

Through a work-study program at school, Gabriel is able to go to a local grocery store to job shadow a man who collected the carts and bagged groceries. Even though Gabriel was only supposed to watch the job, the employee he was shadowing was willing to share his work, and Gabriel has done a good job with collecting the carts. He will need more training to bag groceries. Gabriel was unresponsive to the man's corrective feedback. Gabriel kept saying to himself "Good job, Gabriel" after he packed each bag, even though the employee tried to show him a better way to pack the bags. He apparently enjoyed the experience, because Gabriel would request that his teacher take him to the store even on days it was not scheduled by verbalizing “Me, work, store, please" repeatedly. Generally, Gabriel is quiet and well mannered. The store manager has been impressed with his work ethic and is interested in having Gabriel work part-time after he graduates.