Mission Statement

Supporting quality lives for people with disabilities

The Center for Innovation in Transition and Employment provides leadership in the College and Graduate School of Education and across the region for developing successful transition practices which lead to positive outcomes for people with disabilities. Organizationally, the Center administers transition personal development and demonstration grants and serves as an interdepartmental collaborative that supports interdisciplinary activities across special education, career and technical education, and rehabilitation. The Center houses several research and demonstration projects that serve as regional transition resources for youth and families, policy makers, and professionals.

The Center has several goals:

Preparing transition leaders

Graduate programs with an emphasis in transition are available at the masters and doctoral level. Collaborative and field-based personnel preparation are the hallmarks of projects which support full and part-time students with tuition waivers and stipends. Model transition programs provide field sites for instilling transition competencies. Over 400 Ph.D. and masters graduates provide transition leadership across Ohio and the country.

Translating research into practice

Graduate programs of personnel development, outreach, research, and technical assistance focus on realizing the potential of the knowledge base in transition. Knowledge and issues from collaborating schools and agencies are used as context to test promising practices from the literature. The Center coordinates a network of technical assistance and training to school districts and professionals to support their transition improvement efforts.

Promoting effective policies and programs

Dissemination and policy advocacy of Center projects and staff are geared to "getting the word out" and to work toward greater use of transition policies and practices that work. Materials, products, and research findings are designed and delivered in numerous formats to be user-friendly and have favorable impacts. The Center administers the Ohio Longitudinal Transition Study which is a system of follow-up research and state-wide continuous improvement.