"Don't Sell Them Dreams without the Foundations": Collaboration for the Transitional Needs of Foster Care Adolescents with Disabilities

The 1999 Revisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA), confirmed the legal role of foster parents in special education decision making on behalf of the youth in their care. The present study responded with a multiple case study of seven secondary special education teachers and their attitudes, experiences, and recommendations for collaboration with foster parents of adolescent youth. Collaborative theory was used to frame the study and analyze the data. The participants reported that they lacked full awareness of foster care and limited the scope of their collaboration to address youth's behavioral and vocational needs. This report includes noted gaps between the participants' accounts and the literature, and implications for ongoing research.