Summer Activities of Youth with High-Incidence Disabilities from High-Poverty Backgrounds

Secondary-level practitioners face mounting challenges in providing effective transition services to youth with disabilities living in high-poverty neighborhoods. We examined the summer activities of youth with high-incidence disabilities from high-poverty backgrounds who had taken vocational classes and participated in a self-determination curriculum during the previous school year. Few of the students were employed by the midpoint of summer, with the majority reporting difficulties related to finding a job. Students who were not employed were involved in a variety of activities (e.g., "hanging out" with friends or family, doing occasional odd jobs, caring for a child), but few reported satisfaction with these activities. Findings are discussed and recommendations are suggested for improving the effectiveness of secondary-level educational programming.