Site name & link:

KY SPIN

https://www.kyspin.com/

Description of the site:

This site is the Kentucky Special Parent Involvement Network and helps families and individuals with disabilities by providing transition resources. In addition to transition assistance, it provides insight for special education, IEPs, 504 plans, disability resources, program navigation, information, and referrals.

Summary of what I've learned: The KY-SPIN organization began in 1988. The site has a weekly video post called "Transition Tuesdays" in which they provide various useful information for transition. Topics include various things from disability disclosure, navigating transition, and even life skills such as how to sign documents. While these are transition focused aspects of the site, overall the page provides numerous references to utilize as well as infographics, videos, and activities for enhancing independent living as well as incorporating the necessary components for individual success into everyday life. The site simplifies the information to where it is easily accessible to those with disabilities and their collaborative relationships.

Summary of how to apply or use the site in schools:

This site can be used in schools by providing students with the videos and infographics in order to have successful preparations and plans for transition into adulthood. With the vast amount of readily available information, the students could be assigned a different component each day that would benefit them. Additionally, the individual's parent/caregiver should be encouraged to collaboratively participate in gaining understanding of this available website. The site breaks down the information in a clear and concise way to be understood. For example: there is an infographic included that describes how to apply for a job and how to complete the necessary documents once the job is received. These simulations are extremely beneficial to the students in order for them to have clear understanding of future expectations and practices.

Site name & Link: Kentucky Career Center https://kcc.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx

Description of the site: The Kentucky Career Center provides resources for building readiness and making connections for career development. The site offers services such as listed registered apprenticeships, job search tools, and job listings. The site additionally provides resources for unemployment as well as veteran employment services and vocational rehabilitation sources.

Summary of what I’ve learned: This source serves beneficial for building a resume, searching for a job, and getting job alerts. The site is basically a search engine that is career, employment, and job focused. There are also opportunities and sources provided for enhancing current training and development with those that are currently employed.

Summary of how to apply or use the site in schools: This site could be used in schools for the sources such as the resume builder. It would be an excellent opportunity for students to create their resumes and to experience the appropriate formatting as well as what qualities to include in order to make them an ideal candidate. The site is also beneficial for providing students with sources to search for things such as registered apprenticeships and employment opportunities. By providing these sources to students within the website, they will become knowledgeable of what is available to them as well as how to access the necessary sources.

Site name & Link: National Career Development Association https://www.ncda.org/aws/NCDA/pt/sp/home_page

Description of the site: The National Career Development Association has professional development publications, standards, as well as the advocacy to those leading individuals to achieve career and life goals. Their vision statement is for all people to attain a fulfilling career and life goals. The organization prioritizes cultivating community, career empowerment, and advocacy. This is done through providing visibility of its members and organization, research/evaluation/and assessment, ethical practice for career providers, national and international programs and initiatives, technologies impact on human elements of professions, and diversity/equality/inclusion and accessibility/belonging.

Summary of what I’ve learned: The National Vocational Guidance Association was founded in 1913 but was renamed to become the NCDA in 1985. It is a leader in providing standards for career development.The site is focused on enhancing practices of career counselors. Although the site is targeted towards the use of these professionals, it also provides resources for professional development in the areas of education, events, jobs, credentialing, training, career development, school career development, and career practitioner supervision. 

Summary of how to apply or use the site in schools: This site could be used in schools for the sources that it provides in education, jobs, credentialing, and training. By utilizing the resources the site provides, students will be able to get first hand experiences in how to continue their education, how to attend various job-related conferences, and how to search for current job opportunities. The site will also allow students to gain experiences in continuing their education within their job field and the importance that it provides in enhancing the climb of gaining professionalism and career status.

Site name & link: Team Kentucky Cabinet for Health & Family Services: Independent Living Programs https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dpp/oohc/Pages/transitionalservices.aspx

Description of the site: The website specifically focuses on the John Chafee Independence Program which is a federally funded program for students 12 and up the skills required to be self-sufficient It provides independent living coordinator information for those in Kentucky and is based on specific regions. 

Summary of what I've learned: The things I’ve learned from the site include eligibility of assistance based on age-group. The website provides information for students that are 12-15, 16-18, and 18-21. The site also focuses on those within foster care or adoption situations, however, the information can be applied to anyone that seeks furthering their independent living skills.

Summary of how to apply or use the site in schools: This website can be used in schools by providing the previously mentioned information based on the child’s age. It can also be used as a resource for students to get more sites that have information on education assistance, life skills, formal transition planning, housing assistance, youth leadership programs, and also provides the national youth in transition database. By giving them this overall source, students can utilize the external information provided to enhance their independent living skills.

Site name & link: Project10 transition education network: Independent Living https://project10.info/IndependentLiving.php 

Description of the site: The website is aimed at assisting students with disabilities in Florida school districts to provide secondary transition services. Although the site places focus on students in Florida, it can be implemented to those worldwide in order to provide information that enhances academic success and post-school outcomes.

Summary of what I've learned: The site gives information specifically on independent living in one of the source tabs provided. It provides a well-formed definition of independent living as a living arrangement that maximizes independence and self-determination, especially for those that are disabled and living in a community versus a medical facility. It also promotes the idea that independent living asserts similar rights and life choices to those with disabilities as those without disabilities. The information is categorized into five sections: financial literacy, health, housing, leisure & recreation, and transportation.

Summary of how to apply or use the site in schools: This website can be used in schools by giving students sources to investigate independently in order to gain proficiency in the mentioned areas of independent living. This site can be used in their future endeavors for sources that they can access when facing any of the situations that the information may apply. By having students become familiarized with the site, they will be able to fully utilize the research provided as well as the sources that it provides so that they can enhance their independent living skills.

Site name & link: Kentucky Department of Education: Transition Resources https://www.education.ky.gov/specialed/excep/GuidanceResources/Pages/trnstn.aspx 

Description of the site: This particular portion of the Department of Education website provides numerous resources for assisting during the transition process. It provides the following categories: planning resources, summary of performance technical assistance documents, transition to post secondary education/training, transition to independent living, transition to employment, and information on the KY 360 program.

Summary of what I've learned: While there are numerous beneficial items on this particular website, I personally thought that the most intriguing information was about the KY 360 program. This program has a goal of improving the transition programming, supports, and partnerships that involve resources directly within local communities to strengthen postsecondary success of individuals.

Summary of how to apply or use the site in schools: This site can be provided to Kentucky educators as a resource to gain the appropriate categorized information depending on the situation in which they are referencing. Each category has a summarized description of how the information provided in the resources is necessary. The information also involves the audience which the resources are directed towards - either teacher, student, or guardian so that it can be effectively utilized.

Site name & link: Transition Improvement Grant: Age-Appropriate Transition Assessments and Resources https://sites.google.com/view/age-approp-trans-assessments/home 

Description of the site: This site has several beneficial categories which serve as an informative source of gaining insight of the transition assessment process. Categories include: an overview of transition assessment, assessment examples and tools. It is divided into 6 sections: 1) Comprehensive transition assessments and resources 2) Career planning and exploration assessments and resources 3) Education, training, and employment assessments and resources 4) Self-advocacy and self-determination 5) Adult and independent living assessments and resources 5) Specific areas of need.

Summary of what I've learned: This site has provided the wide range of assessment to be considered with each individualized need. It provided an excellent overview of assessment which states that transition assessments are age appropriate, on-going, and have measurable postsecondary goals. It states that transition assessment will answer the following three questions: Where is the student presently? Where is the student going? and How will you get there? It also includes how to use transition assessment results. Overall the site is extremely beneficial for the transition process.

Summary of how to apply or use the site in schools: This site can be used in schools to effectively determine the appropriate transition assessment to use depending on the individual need. Numerous assessment types may be utilized by one individual or there may be one that specifically applies to their situation. This would personally be an excellent go-to for anyone in transition services to effectively assist those in any mentioned category.