Triad Transition Planning for Students Receiving Special Education and English Learner Services, Families, and Teachers

The transition to adulthood marks a major developmental milestone, and careful planning is required between students, families, and teachers in order to successfully set and achieve postschool goals. For students who are English learners and diagnosed with a disability, additional challenges may arise as they navigate barriers associated with ableism, racism, and learning a new language. In this ethnographic interview study, we explore how collaboration works across the “triad,” or between dually identified students, their families, and their teachers in the transition planning process. We observed three patterns that appeared to hinder or facilitate successful transition planning: (a) divergence or missed opportunities for collaboration, (b) convergence and collaboration with a focus on secondary experiences and challenges, and (c) convergence and collaboration with a focus on postschool goals. We discuss each finding and provide recommendations for future research and practice to support improved collaboration and transition planning practices for dually identified students.