Independent Living
Assessments: More
Than Just Cooking &
Cleaning
Amy Gaumer Erickson, Ph.D.
University of Kansas
Department of Special Education
June 2008
 If
a student
floated in a
lifejacket for 12
years, would
he/she be
expected to
swim if the
jacket were
jerked off?
Independent Living

Independent living includes the skills
and knowledge an individual needs to
direct his or her life at home and in the
community.
IDEA’s Definition of
Transition Services
Coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that (A) is designed to be within a results-orientated process, that is
focused on improving the academic and functional achievement
of the child with a disability to facilitate the child’s movement from
school to post-school activities, including post-secondary
education, vocational education, integrated employment (including
supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult
services, independent living, or community participation;
 (B) is based on the individual child’s needs, taking into account the
child’s strengths, preferences, and interests; and
 (C) includes instruction, related services, community experiences,
the development of employment and other post-school adult living
objectives, and when appropriate, acquisition of daily living
skills and functional vocational evaluation.
Components of Independent
Living









Home Living
Household & Money Management
Transportation
Law & Politics
Community Involvement
Personal Safety
Recreation & Leisure
Interpersonal Relationships
Self-Advocacy / Self-Determination
Home
Living
Household & Money
Management
Transportation
Law & Politics
Community Involvement
Personal
Safety &
Health
Interpersonal
Relationships
Recreation & Leisure
Self-Determination /
Self-Advocacy
Self-Determination/SelfAdvocacy



Self-determination refers to an individual’s awareness
of personal strengths and weaknesses, the ability to
set goals and make choices, to be assertive at
appropriate times, and to interact with others in a
socially competent manner.
A self-determined person is able to make independent
decisions based on his or her ability to use resources,
which includes collaborating and networking with
others.
The outcome for a self-determined person is the ability
to realize his or her own potential, to become a
productive member of a community, and to obtain his
or her goals without infringing on the rights,
responsibilities, and goals of others. (Serna & LauSmith, 1995)
Teaching Students to be
Involved in Transition

Skill Development
Self Awareness
 Problem Solving & Decision Making
 Goal Setting
 Communication Skills


Providing Opportunities
Skill Development for SelfDetermination

Self Awareness




Identify strengths, needs, preferences
& interests
Knowledge of disability, learning
styles & accommodations
Understand legal rights &
responsibilities
Take responsibility for actions
Self-Awareness
Skill Development for SelfDetermination

Problem Solving & Decision Making





Define the problem
Gather information
Identify pros and cons
Make an informed decision
Communicate preferences
Problem
Solving
Skill Development for SelfDetermination

Goal Setting




Identify vision and long range goals
Identify all possible resources
Develop a plan of action to reach goals
Evaluate outcomes
Goal Setting
Skill Development for SelfDetermination

Communication Skills






Body image and posture
Clearly express ideas & feelings
Listen to what others say
Ask questions
Plan and organize thoughts
Accept comments and criticism
Communication
Skills
Self-Determination Model
Environment
Know Yourself &
Your Environment
Value Yourself
Plan
Act
Experience
Outcomes & Learn
Environment
Adapted from Field & Hoffman, 1994
IDEA’s definition of
Postsecondary Goals

…appropriate measurable
postsecondary goals based upon age
appropriate transition assessments
related to training, education,
employment, and where appropriate,
independent living skills
Exercise
Chase’s IEP
Example
The Dignity of Risk










What if you never got to make a mistake.
What if your money was always kept in
an envelope where you couldn’t get at it.
What if you were never given a chance to
do well at something.
What if you were always treated like a
child.
What if your chance to be with people
different from you was with your own
family.
What if the job you did was not useful.
What if you never got to make a decision.
What if the only risky thing you could do
was to act out.
What if you couldn’t go outside because
the last time you went it rained.
What if you took the wrong bus once and
now you can’t take another one.








What if you got into trouble and were
sent away and you couldn’t come back
because they always remember you’re
“trouble.”
What if you worked and got paid $.46 an
hour.
What if you had to wear your winter coat
when it rained because it was all you
had.
What if you had no privacy.
What if you could do part of the grocery
shopping but weren’t allowed to do any
because you weren’t able to do all of the
shopping.
What if you spent three hours every day
just waiting.
What if you grew old and never knew
adulthood.
What if you never got a chance.
(From a parent whose son is in a support work program
in Richmond, VA; published by The Arc.)
So it’s important…When is
there Time
18-21 Programs
Community-based transition programs are
public school programs operated entirely in
the community and designed specifically for
students ages 18-21 to help facilitate the
movement from school to adult life through a
comprehensive approach to community
integration.
18-21 Programs ARE…
In age-appropriate setting
 Designed for students ages 18-21
 Funded by the Local Education
Agency
 Individualized for each student
 Interagency endeavors

18-21 Programs: Description

They ARE located
in age-appropriate
setting in the
community, such as
colleges, houses,
apartments,
businesses, or
offices.

They are NOT high
school classes that
go out into the
community every
once in a while (or
even part of every
day) for instruction.
18-21 Programs: Description

They ARE created
for students
(young adults
ages 18-21) who
need support to
increasing their
independence as
adults. This could
include students
with any disability.

They are NOT work
programs,
sheltered
workshops, or
enclaves.
18-21 Programs: Description

They ARE
designed for
students who are
served by the
Local Education
Agency (i.e. still
enrolled in high
school). They may
also include young
adults who are
supported by adult
service providers.

They are NOT
strictly
accommodations or
training provided
by colleges,
vocational
rehabilitation, or
adult service
providers.
18-21 Programs: Description

They ARE
individualized for
each student based
on the student’s
IEP goals which
take into account
interests,
preferences, and
desired postschool
outcomes.

They are NOT selfcontained classes
with all student
having the same
schedule or
experiences.
18-21 Programs: Description

They ARE
interagency
collaborations
with the goal of
creating a smooth
transition from
school services to
services from adult
agencies.

They are NOT
referrals to
Vocational
Rehabilitation or
other adult service
providers without
follow-up linkages.
“[C-Tran] is more hands-on and real life. You
can actually do what you’re learning…I like it
better. There’s not very many people, and you
can work with the teacher one-on-one.”
Everyone could use a
little practice dealing
with the Big Bad Wolf.
Components of 18-21
Programs








Employment experience
Postsecondary education and training
Community mobility
Interagency linkages
Social & communication opportunities
Self-determination & independent living
skills
Peer friendships
Leisure & recreation activities
Online Independent Living
Assessments




Independent Living Skills Assessment Tool,
http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/ms/forms/10_267.pdf
Ansell Casey Life Skills Assessment,
http://www.caseylifeskills.org/pages/assess/assess_acl
sa.htm
The Learning Clinic’s Transition & Independent Living
Skill Assessment,
http://www.thelearningclinic.org/PDF/TILSAInstructions
andForm.pdf
Transition to Community Living Self-Assessment,
http://www.hcbs.org/files/112/5587/Transition_Guide_t
o_Community_Living.pdf (assessment starts on pg.
20)
Other Related Assessment



Functional Behavioral Assessment,
http://cecp.air.org/fba/
North Central Regional Resource Center’s
List of Assessments,
http://www.transitionassessment.northcentr
alrrc.org/methodsTools.aspx
Quickbook of Transition Assessments,
http://doe.sd.gov/oess/specialed/forms/tackl
ebox/docs/tb07/QuickbookIEP%20Checklist
%20Final.pdf
IEP Team Decision
Assistance Form
Option 1: Go to www.transitioncoalititon.com
 Choose the Best Practices online learning
module
 Go to ‘My Library’
Option 2: Go to the Missouri Department of
Education Website
http://www.dese.mo.gov/divspeced/
Compliance/specedpost-sectransition.html
Free Self-Determination
Assessments
American Institutes for Research. (1994). AIR
Self-Determination Scale. Available on the
Zarrow Center website,
http://www.ou.edu/zarrow/AIR%20User%20G
uide.pdf
 Wehmeyer, M.L., & Kelchner, L. (1995). The
Arc’s self-determination scale. Arlington, TX:
The Arc of the United States. Available online
at www.beachcenter.org.

Self-Determination Websites


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Self-Determination Synthesis Project. Charlotte, NC:
University of North Carolina. Web:
http://www.uncc.edu/sdsp
Self-Determination Technical Assistance Centers.
Colorado Springs, CO; Fountain, CO; Overland Park,
KS; Monroe County, NY. Web:
http://www.sdtac.uncc.edu/project_description.asp
Self-Determination Educational Materials. University of
Oklahoma, Zarrow Center:
http://education.ou.edu/zarrow/
Taking Charge: Stories of Success & SelfDetermination. University of Washington, DO-IT SelfDetermination Videos:
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/
C-Tran Manual
This manual is based on the development
and operation of a community-based
transition program in Lawrence, Kansas. The
teachers reveal their insights and share many
of their resources, programming, and
curricula to help others develop communitybased transition programs.
http://transitioncoalition.org/transition/section.
php?pageId=72
Learn more about CommunityBased 18-21 Programs

See the Database of 18-21 Programs
at www.transitioncoalition.org under
RESOURCES for the most
comprehensive list and description of
18-21 Programs in the United States.
Contact Information
Amy Gaumer Erickson, Ph.D.
Transition Coalition
KU Department of Special Education
521 JR Pearson Hall, 1122 W. Campus
Rd.
Lawrence, KS 66045
aerickson@ku.edu