Transition Period

In disability services, the transition period refers to the years during which a young person with a disability moves from school-based supports into adult life. In the United States, school systems are legally required to provide full-time services to students with disabilities through age 21 (under IDEA), after which responsibility for housing, employment, healthcare, recreation, and social supports typically shifts to the individual, their family, and adult service agencies. The transition period is widely recognised as a high-risk time for loss of services, social isolation, and regression of skills, and it shapes the design requirements for assistive technology aimed at young adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their family caregivers.