Building Alliances: A How-to Manual to Support Transitioning Youth

Building Alliances presents the core principles and practices of collaboration that best support transition-aged youth with disabilities—and their families. Val Mazzotti and Dawn Rowe discuss the key roles and responsibilities of youth and their families, school personnel, and community service providers. A series of “research in practice” vignettes illustrates how to implement evidence-based strategies and activities, providing a step-by-step approach to building and facilitating effective collaboration, teamwork, and networking. Building Alliances gives teachers, administrators, and every member of the “transition team” practical tools to facilitate collaboration, empower all participants, and, ultimately, improve post-school outcomes for youth with disabilities.

• Chapter 1: Find the Right People: Identifying Critical Stakeholders
• Chapter 2: Put It Together: Building Collaborative Teams
• Chapter 3: Put It in Motion: Mapping the Community
• Chapter 4: Put It in Writing: Developing Collaborative Agreements
• Conclusion: Revisiting Collaborative Strategies for Effective Transition 

Valerie L. Mazzotti

Valerie L. Mazzotti, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education and Child Development at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Valerie's research interests include self-determination, secondary transition evidence-based practices and predictors of post-school success, and interagency collaboration for students at-risk for, or with, high incidence disabilities. Specifically, she is interested in effective instructional strategies for embedding self-determination skill development in the general curriculum to support students at-risk for, or with, high incidence disabilities and scaling-up of secondary transition evidence-based practices. Valerie serves as co-Editor for the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division of Career Development and Transition’s Division journal, Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals.

Dawn A. Rowe

Dawn A. Rowe, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the department of Educational Foundations and Special Education at East Tennessee State University. Her research and scholarship are focused on three areas: evidence-based practices and predictors of postschool success for students with disabilities, life skills interventions, and professional development. She has over 20 years’ experience working in the adult service system and as a teacher and transition specialist for youth with disabilities in the public-school system. Dr. Rowe serves as the academic editor for the Council for Exceptional Children’s research-to-practice journal, TEACHING Exceptional Children.