Life Skills and Community-Based Instruction David W. Test , University of North Carolina at Charlotte Sharon Richter , Appalachian State University Allison R. Walker , University of North Carolina at Wilmington

While early transition education movements (1960-1980) focused on cooperative work study programs and career education (Halpern, 1992), and Will’s (1984) “bridges model” of transition had employment as the primary outcome of the secondary transition process, Halpern’s (1985) transition model maintained the employment focus while expanding the model to include a broader focus called “community adjustment.” According to Halpern (1985), community adjustment rested on three pillars called residential environment, employment, and social and interpersonal networks. Since then, the fi eld of secondary transition has continued to recognize that there is more to life than just work.