Factors contributing to post school employment for students with special needs: A Meta-Synthesis

Abstract

As the number of students qualifying for special education services continues to grow and the demands on districts to serve these students continues to change, it is important to investigate what is working. To help these students transition out of high school and into the working world, the transition plan that includes employability (the quality of being suitable for paid work) is an area that should be investigated. The work-based learning programs that have success are the ones we should emulate as it pertains to our growing population of students we serve with special needs. Additionally, it would be helpful to know what other factors contribute to a students’ success in being employed after high school. This meta-synthesis of the literature on success factors and successful school-to-work curriculum models will help guide those of us in this field to start to engage in and begin to implement or support these different components.