Secondary Transition of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Recommendations for Researchers

Given the continuing poor post-school outcomes for students with ASD, combined with the limited number of current interventions to address the problem, the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services'(OSERS) charged the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) with identifying and disseminating evidence- and research-based practices and predictors for transition-age students with ASD. During this process of identification, we identified several areas that directly impact the research and its efficacy when looking at what works for students with ASD. The purpose of this article is to provide recommendations to researchers in the areas of: a) identifying effective interventions, b) tailoring available interventions, c) addressing mixed samples, d) improving measurement, e) equipping professionals, and f) developing and evaluating programs.