John Draper is a young man with complex communication needs (CCN); he now has completed a college program in journalism, operates his own business, and is working to live independently in the community. Like a growing number of young people with CCN, he has ambitious life goals for school, work, and societal participation.

This issue of Perspectives provides a description of current innovative practices to support the transition of individuals with CCN from high school to the adult world. The articles include both personal narratives as well as summaries of recent research projects. Diane Bryen, Yoosun Chung, and Sarah Lever describe strategies to support participation in socially valued adult roles, while at the same time promoting independence as well as personal safety. Beth Anne Luciani describes both her personal efforts and the significant contributions of her transition team to her successful participation in an undergraduate program in Creative Writing at California University of Pennsylvania. Pamela Kennedy, who works as the project manager for the AAC-RERC Writers Brigade, describes her personal experiences in goal setting and managing transition programs from an early age. Finally, Anthony Arnold and I summarize recent research on employment for individuals with CCN and use Anthony Arnold's employment experiences to illustrate key supports to success.