A grant from the Institute of Education Sciences to two Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (TN IDDRC, UCEDD, LEND) researchers will support a new project to develop and test a program that can support teachers in providing information on adult services to students with autism spectrum disorders and their parents during transition planning activities.
Access to and awareness of adult services is critical for ensuring a smooth shift from school-based services to adult support systems. However, these services are often overlooked in transition planning. To address the gap, the project will develop the Transition Access, Skills, and Knowledge (TASK) program, a curriculum aimed at equipping teachers, parents, and autistic students with the knowledge, advocacy skills, and empowerment needed to navigate adult disability services.
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center researchers Julie Lounds Taylor, Ph.D., and Meghan Burke, Ph.D., are principal investigators on the project and are no strangers to developing training programs to improve access to adult services.
Julie Lounds Taylor, PhD
“This project will draw upon the experience and knowledge we have gained from working together on several transition-related projects,” said Taylor. “Essentially, it will be an adaptation of our ASSIST (Advocating for SupportS to Improve Service Transition) work. While ASSIST is focused on providing information about adult services directly to families, the new TASK program will take some of that same information about services, but package it into modules and resources that teachers can use in the context of transition planning.”
In the project, researchers will design and enhance the TASK program, assess its feasibility and usability, and evaluate its potential to improve goal achievement, expand access to services, and enhance postsecondary outcomes through a pilot randomized controlled trial. Across four years, 102 transition-aged youth with autism will participate in this project along with their parents. Additionally, 62 high school teachers and 12 adult service provider representatives will inform the development of the curriculum.
Burke and Taylor will collaborate with the VKC’s Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (VKC TRIAD), renowned globally for its groundbreaking efforts in supporting autistic individuals, their families, and professionals. Additionally, Vanderbilt brings extensive resources to the table, including its VKC University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (VKC UCEDD) and transition-focused programs like Transition Tennessee.
Consultants outside of Vanderbilt on the grant include Karrie Shogren, Ph.D. (University of Kansas) and Lisa Ruble, Ph.D. (Ball State University). Both will share their expertise in transition planning and developing measures for the study.
Meghan M. Burke, PhD, BCBA-D
“Throughout each year of the project, a National Advisory Council will provide input,” said Burke. “Our goal is for the intervention to have national relevance. We aim to enable special education teachers, families, and autistic youth across the United States to use it as a resource for accessing adult disability services and improving transition outcomes.”
