Secondary Transition Interventions in Rural Communities: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Nearly 1 million students with individualized education programs (IEPs) live in rural communities in the United States and, to date, no reviews have examined the transition literature related to supporting students in rural settings. The purpose of this review was to examine transition-related functional skill interventions conducted in rural settings. We conducted a systematic review of the experimental literature and identified 19 articles. Interventions reviewed included transition curricula, skill-based interventions, or other interventions (e.g., occupational therapy, interagency collaboration). Few articles included substantive reporting on rurality or the effects of community context on intervention design and implementation. We discuss the paucity of rural transition research and provide recommendations for conducting and reporting future research. Understanding best practice for conducting transition interventions in rural settings requires a framework that considers how the multidimensional elements of a given community influence postsecondary needs and outcomes.