Building a Transition Plan Transition planning, in its most
basic sense, means figuring out what you want to do in the next
stage of your life, gaining the skills and resources you need to
do it, and then doing it. In theory, everyone—autistic or
not—should engage in a transition planning process, not only
during high school but also during the years preceding every
life change. Of course, in the world of special needs education
and law, nothing is as simple or self-evident as it appears.
Transition planning is no exception to that rule. What should,
ideally, be a straightforward and collegial process of planning
for postsecondary life has become a contentious legal
requirement, bound by laws that differ from state to state and
supported by resources that may be radically different from
school district to school district. What’s more, the philosophy
surrounding transition varies as widely as does philosophy
surrounding autism treatment, appropriate educational settings,
and parenting styles. In short (and not