Bridging Academics and Transition: Inclusive, Standards-based Strategies for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

This session explores how to integrate academic instruction and transition planning for secondary students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Attendees will learn inclusive, evidence-based strategies to embed transition skills into core academics, promoting meaningful access, student engagement, and successful post-school outcomes through interactive discussion and application-based learning.Participants will be able to: 1. Describe the historical instructional separation for students with IDD and explain the rationale and benefits for adopting an integrated, inclusive approach. 2. Identify and apply research- and evidence-based instructional strategies, such as systematic and explicit instruction, universal design for learning (UDL), an assistive technology, to support student access to standards-based academics. 3. Design instructional activities that embed transition skills such as self-determination, vocational exploration, and career readiness into core academic areas (math, literacy, science, and social studies). 4. Develop a plan to implement inclusive, inquiry-based instructional strategies that address common learning barriers (e.g., executive functioning, literacy, and numeracy challenges) and promote real-world application of academic and transition skills.