The literature did identify notable exceptions to the qualitative approach that were useful interrogators of the theoretical basis for practice.
Throughout the literature presented in this work, there is a tacit acceptance of the transition age. The researchers have not challenged this position though many of them did allude to the variation that exists within the population of special education students. This variation is a factor in many of the challenges that special education students experience, so that the past failure to give attention to this factor presents an opportunity for present research to fill this void.
As a proxy for age, Abbot & Heslop (2009) identified timing as an essential factor in the success of the transition program. While in their research timing was connected to multiple concepts, within the framework alluded to there, support for consideration of the age of the student as an element of timing. There is no doubt however that this should receive further exploration because of the role of timing as identified in the work.
The need to provide further explication of the transition of special education students cannot be overemphasized. The fusion of special needs student and "regular" students is a challenge that is exacerbated by many practices in the school system. As schools increasing stress the academic, the other elements may become deemphasized, to the hazard of the special education student. Research needs to identify not only the possible hazards but also solutions that can adequately correct for any systemic weaknesses.
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