Question 1

2017

Accepted Answer

Leslie Bross, University of Kansas
	
		Evidence-Based Practices for Young Adults with Autism in Employment Settings
	
	
	Kelly A. Clark, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
	
		UPGRADE Your Job Performance Grant 
	
	
	Hyejung Kim, University of Wisconsin, Madison
	
		Intersectionality in the Transition to Postsecondary Education among Korean-American Students with Autism
	
	
	L. Danielle “Danie” Roberts-Dahm, University of South Florida 
	
		Inclusive Higher Education and Employment: An Analysis of Program Components 
	
	
	Misty Terrell, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
	
		Effects of Using Behavior Chain Interruption Strategy on Increased Social Interactions of Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism

Question 2

2018

Accepted Answer

Lauren Bruno, Virginia Commonwealth University
	
		Investigating Secondary Special Educator Transition Competencies and Attrition
	
	
	Jennifer L. Bumble, Vanderbilt University
	
		Building Interagency Collaboration: Examining the Personal and Professional Networks of Transition Educators
	
	
	Christina Gushanas, Texas A & M 
	
		Examining the Effects of Video Self-monitoring on Communication Within an Employment Setting Among Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
	
	
	Sheida Raley, University of Kansas
	
		Examining Whole-Class Implementation of the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction in Inclusive High School Mathematics Classes
	
	
	Tracy Sinclair, University of Oklahoma
	
		Using Self-Evaluation to Improve Work Performance of Transition-Age Youth in Community Work Settings

Question 3

2019

Accepted Answer

Wen-hsuan Chang, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
	
		The Effects of Asynchronous Online Parent Training on Knowledge of Secondary Transition Services for Parents of Transition Age Youth with Disabilities
	
	
	Cynde Katherine Josol, Michigan State University
	
		Exploring the Development of Friendships Between Young Adults with and without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
	
	
	Jessica Monahan, University of Connecticut
	
		College and Career Readiness and Teacher Expectations of Students with and Without Disabilities
	
	
	Joshua Pulos, University of Oklahoma
	
		Effects of the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction on Academic and Non-Academic Behaviors: A Meta-Analysis
	
	
	Wen Zeng, University of Cincinnati
	
		A Mixed Methods Study of Postsecondary Enrollment and Completion of Students with Learning Disabilities

Question 4

2020

Accepted Answer

Belkis Choiseul-Praslin, University of Oklahoma 
	
		Validation of the Spanish and Chinese Versions of the Transition and Assessment Goal Generator (TAGG)
	
	
	Kaitlyn Millen, University of Northern Colorado 
	
		Exploring Self-Determination in Youth and Young Adults who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
	
	
	Vidya Munandar, University of Kansas
	
		Planned Happenstance Skills and College Students with Disabilities
	
	
	Quinn Perkins, Grand Canyon University
	
		Parent Involvement in Transition Programs: A Qualitative Descriptive Study
	
	
	Mary Whirley, Texas A&M University
	
		Investigation of a Check-in Check-out Procedure to Increase Communication between Employees with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities and their Supervisors

Question 5

2021

Accepted Answer

Heather Dulas, Texas A&M University 
	
		Using Job Coaching to Increase Workplace Social Skills for Individuals with Disabilities: A Mixed Methods Investigation
	
	
	Amillia Oswalt, University of Arkansas 
	
		Empowering Parents to Become Active Participants in the IEP Process
	
	
	Lindsay Romano, New York University
	
		Mindfulness and the Reduction of Racial Disparities in School Discipline during Adolescence

Question 6

2022

Accepted Answer

Project and Description
			Awardee and Biography
		
	
	
		
			 Increasing Community Engagement of Transition-age Youth with Disabilities via a Ridesharing Application: An Extension
			Darcy will continue research related to young adults with disabilities accessing their communities using Lyft. For her dissertation, Increasing Community Engagement of Transition-age Youth with Disabilities via a Ridesharing Application: An Extension, she will leverage intervention techniques from previous research within the context of the participants’ travel routines. Her project includes predictors of postsecondary success (e.g., parent expectations and involvement, community experiences, and self-determination), allows young adults to use their own devices, and provides an opportunity for participants to ride independently. 
			
			Darcy Fredrick is a doctoral candidate at UNC Charlotte where she focuses on secondary transition for students with disabilities. Darcy has a master’s degree in special education and a certificate in autism spectrum disorder. Following seven years as a high school special education teacher, Darcy began her PhD in 2020 and has worked on projects related to transportation for young adults with disabilities, inclusive practices, and goal setting using technology. She is currently the Project Coordinator for the CIRCLES grant, a model for transition planning. 
			
			
			
			
		
		
			Using Video Modeling to Teach Vocational Social Skills to Young Autistic Adults
			Young autistic adults currently experience low employment outcomes in the U.S., often related to a low use of expected workplace social skills. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of using video modeling to teach high-frequency vocational social skills to autistic youth. The behavioral targets will be based off of a vocational social skills assessment and will target skills related to common interactions between a supervisor and employee. A practitioner will act as the intervention agent in the study, and we will assess generalization from the training environment to a more naturalistic setting. 
			Alan McLucas is currently a third-year special education doctoral student at the University of Virginia. He graduated with both a Bachelor's degree in History and Master's in Teaching from the University of Virginia in 2016 and taught middle school special education in Charlottesville, VA for two years following graduation. Alan and his wife (also a special educator) then moved to Lusaka, Zambia for two years to work with students with intellectual disabilities alongside Zambian teachers and provide teacher education and community training on disability and special education. Alan is interested in research concerning transition to adulthood in rural settings and how to support employment access and maintenance for autistic adolescents and adults. He is currently working to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst alongside his Ph.D. studies. 
			
			
			
		
		
			
			Agency and College Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Photovoice Project
			The purpose of this study is to investigate students’ observations and interpretations of how they are able to develop and practice self-determination and agency on a college campus through the participatory action method photovoice. Student voices will be present within the data-photos they take of their lives on campus- and contribute to the local community’s understanding of their experiences as college students with ID/D through the culminating photo exhibition. As well, the study will contribute to the special education and disability studies fields through the situated knowledge produced by the students related to self-determination and agency.
			
			Rebecca B. Smith-Hill is a doctoral candidate in special education at the University of South Carolina. She is an Assistant Director for CarolinaLIFE, an inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) program. She is a social worker and former middle and high school special education teacher. Her research interests include self-determination and agency for students with disabilities and enhancing teacher cultural competency through pre-service teacher opportunities and education.  
			
			
			
		
		
			Examining Independent Living Skills and Economic Hardship for Youth with Disabilities Using Data from the NLTS2012
			This study uses data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 to create a latent construct, or measure, of independent living skills (ILS). The relationship between ILS and economic hardship, a holistic measure of poverty and adversity, will also be examined. Differences based on student disability category, and race or ethnicity will be studied. The disability groups include intellectual disability, autism, and high incidence disabilities. This study will determine differences in ILS based on student characteristics (i.e., disability, race or ethnicity, economic hardship). 
			Ashley Taconet is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Connecticut studying Educational Psychology with a focus on special education. Her research interests include transition and postsecondary education for students with intellectual disability, independent living skills, and inclusive postsecondary education. She has worked as an employment specialist, paraprofessional in transition education, and mentor for an inclusive postsecondary education program. Currently, she has 14 accepted peer-reviewed articles and 25 national and international presentations. 
			
			
			
		
		
			Indigenous Students’ Postsecondary Transition Needs: A Delphi Study 
			The purpose of this study is to identify the needs, skills, and knowledge specific to Indigenous students for successful postsecondary transition in the areas of education, employment, independent living, and community participation. To determine the specific needs Indigenous students may have, we will use a modified Delphi procedure to collect input from a panel of Indigenous postsecondary transition experts. This study is the first step in a larger research trajectory of designing and validating a transition questionnaire for Indigenous students.  
			Courtney Tennell is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a doctoral student in the Leaders 4 Transition program at the Zarrow Institute for Transition and Self-Determination at the University of Oklahoma. Her research focuses on Indigenous special education, postsecondary transition, and transition assessment.

Project and Description	Awardee and Biography
Increasing Community Engagement of Transition-age Youth with Disabilities via a Ridesharing Application: An Extension Darcy will continue research related to young adults with disabilities accessing their communities using Lyft. For her dissertation, Increasing Community Engagement of Transition-age Youth with Disabilities via a Ridesharing Application: An Extension, she will leverage intervention techniques from previous research within the context of the participants’ travel routines. Her project includes predictors of postsecondary success (e.g., parent expectations and involvement, community experiences, and self-determination), allows young adults to use their own devices, and provides an opportunity for participants to ride independently.	Darcy Fredrick is a doctoral candidate at UNC Charlotte where she focuses on secondary transition for students with disabilities. Darcy has a master’s degree in special education and a certificate in autism spectrum disorder. Following seven years as a high school special education teacher, Darcy began her PhD in 2020 and has worked on projects related to transportation for young adults with disabilities, inclusive practices, and goal setting using technology. She is currently the Project Coordinator for the CIRCLES grant, a model for transition planning.
Using Video Modeling to Teach Vocational Social Skills to Young Autistic Adults Young autistic adults currently experience low employment outcomes in the U.S., often related to a low use of expected workplace social skills. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of using video modeling to teach high-frequency vocational social skills to autistic youth. The behavioral targets will be based off of a vocational social skills assessment and will target skills related to common interactions between a supervisor and employee. A practitioner will act as the intervention agent in the study, and we will assess generalization from the training environment to a more naturalistic setting.	Alan McLucas is currently a third-year special education doctoral student at the University of Virginia. He graduated with both a Bachelor's degree in History and Master's in Teaching from the University of Virginia in 2016 and taught middle school special education in Charlottesville, VA for two years following graduation. Alan and his wife (also a special educator) then moved to Lusaka, Zambia for two years to work with students with intellectual disabilities alongside Zambian teachers and provide teacher education and community training on disability and special education. Alan is interested in research concerning transition to adulthood in rural settings and how to support employment access and maintenance for autistic adolescents and adults. He is currently working to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst alongside his Ph.D. studies.
Agency and College Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Photovoice Project The purpose of this study is to investigate students’ observations and interpretations of how they are able to develop and practice self-determination and agency on a college campus through the participatory action method photovoice. Student voices will be present within the data-photos they take of their lives on campus- and contribute to the local community’s understanding of their experiences as college students with ID/D through the culminating photo exhibition. As well, the study will contribute to the special education and disability studies fields through the situated knowledge produced by the students related to self-determination and agency.	Rebecca B. Smith-Hill is a doctoral candidate in special education at the University of South Carolina. She is an Assistant Director for CarolinaLIFE, an inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) program. She is a social worker and former middle and high school special education teacher. Her research interests include self-determination and agency for students with disabilities and enhancing teacher cultural competency through pre-service teacher opportunities and education.
Examining Independent Living Skills and Economic Hardship for Youth with Disabilities Using Data from the NLTS2012 This study uses data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 to create a latent construct, or measure, of independent living skills (ILS). The relationship between ILS and economic hardship, a holistic measure of poverty and adversity, will also be examined. Differences based on student disability category, and race or ethnicity will be studied. The disability groups include intellectual disability, autism, and high incidence disabilities. This study will determine differences in ILS based on student characteristics (i.e., disability, race or ethnicity, economic hardship).	Ashley Taconet is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Connecticut studying Educational Psychology with a focus on special education. Her research interests include transition and postsecondary education for students with intellectual disability, independent living skills, and inclusive postsecondary education. She has worked as an employment specialist, paraprofessional in transition education, and mentor for an inclusive postsecondary education program. Currently, she has 14 accepted peer-reviewed articles and 25 national and international presentations.
Indigenous Students’ Postsecondary Transition Needs: A Delphi Study The purpose of this study is to identify the needs, skills, and knowledge specific to Indigenous students for successful postsecondary transition in the areas of education, employment, independent living, and community participation. To determine the specific needs Indigenous students may have, we will use a modified Delphi procedure to collect input from a panel of Indigenous postsecondary transition experts. This study is the first step in a larger research trajectory of designing and validating a transition questionnaire for Indigenous students.	Courtney Tennell is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a doctoral student in the Leaders 4 Transition program at the Zarrow Institute for Transition and Self-Determination at the University of Oklahoma. Her research focuses on Indigenous special education, postsecondary transition, and transition assessment.

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Suzanne Kucharczyk, Ed.D., Chairperson

Past Award Recipients

Thursday, September 26, 2024
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Thursday, January 23, 2025
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Thursday, March 27, 2025