The five Guideposts to Success, introduced in 2005, are described below. They provide hints to the Pre-Employment Transitions Services that will be introduced in 2014.

School Preparation

All youth are entitled to high-quality education wherein measurement is standardized, instruction is individualized, accommodations are provided, and qualified instructors are at the helm.

Family Involvement & Support

All people need at least one person who believes in them, especially when they least believe in themselves. That person—a trusted advisor who holds the bar high and fosters self-determination and self-reliance—can be a parent, a guardian, a teacher, or a friend.

Who was your trusted advisor? For whom have you served as a trusted advisor?

It's most helpful if students' trusted advisors and members of their support teams understand the:

• impact of disability on education, employment, and independent living
• use of accommodation to overcome barriers
• rights and responsibilities outlined in disability-related legislation
• use of transition planning tools to achieve vocational goals.

Do you know anybody who understands these tenets well? Is there a VR professional in the house?

Career Preparation & Work-Based Learning Experiences

All students require opportunities to gather information about themselves and the world of work to choose jobs they will find meaningful. They also require opportunities to observe work and try work.

Take a moment to recall your first job. What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about the work world?

In addition to the above, youth with disabilities require the opportunity to learn about and understand their disabilities and the accommodations they need to succeed. Before youth can choose a vocational goal, they need to ask and answer the following questions to discover information about (a) themselves and (b) the world of work.

Interests

• What do I enjoy? What do I not enjoy?

Abilities

• What do I do well?

Preferences

• Do I prefer working with people or things? If yes to "people," do I prefer working with groups or one-on-one?
• Do I prefer to work inside or outside?
• Do I prefer an adventurous job that may come with greater risk or a conventional job that offers greater security?

World of Work

• What jobs are compatible with my interests, abilities, and preferences?
• What knowledge and skills do I need to do my chosen job?
• What is required to prepare for and get those jobs?
• What work habits do employers expect of me?

Once they've gathered information about themselves and the world of work, students are prepared for incrementally more interactive activities such as:

• Job site tours
• Job shadowing opportunities
• Work-based learning experiences with real-world expectations.

Additionally, youth with disabilities require opportunities to learn how to:

• Understand and accept their disabilities
• Communicate about their disabilities with others
• Request the accommodations they need to succeed

Youth Leadership Development Opportunities

Students need opportunities to interact with their peers—those with and without disabilities—to develop social and leadership skills. They also need opportunities to observe successful adults, those with and without disabilities, performing work.

Additionally, they need training on disability history, culture, and the laws that specify their rights and responsibilities, including the right to make an informed choice and the responsibility to advocate for themselves.

Connection to Support Services

Youth with disabilities needfacilitated connections to the support services they will require after graduation. The key here is ensuring they are connected to those services before graduation. Support services may include:

• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Independent living assistance
• adult mental health services
• transportation services
• orientation and mobility instruction
• benefits counseling
• disability or access services on college campuses

Along the same line, teachers, school counselors, and vocational rehabilitation professionals need to help parents understand the stark transition from entitlement services for youth to eligibility services for adults. In other words, unlike free education, which is available to all, many post-high school programs have eligibility requirements and waiting lists. Therefore, applying for services before high school graduation is essential. A failure to understand this change and plan accordingly can result in a longstanding reservation on Mom's and Dad's couch.