The Transition from Middle School to High School: Students with and without Learning Disabilities Share Their Perceptions

A Qualitative Exploration of the Transition Experience of Students from a High School to a Senior High School in Rural Western Australia

“…Emphasis on the educational outcomes (e.g., academic achievement) (Beck & Malley, 1998) of schooling has lead researchers to focus on the effects of the transitions on these outcomes. However, the qualitative research that has explored students' transition perceptions suggests that there is more to the transition experience than the negative outcomes that have been uncovered via quantitative research (Johnstone, 2001(Johnstone, , 2002Letrello & Miles, 2003;Yates, 1999). Qualitative research that investigates the issues related to the transition experience, from the views of those experiencing them, might provide insight into issues not yet recognised.…”

“…As research has most commorily utilised quantitative methods (Akos & Galassi, 2004a, 2004bBerndt, Miller, & Park, 1989;Feldlaufer, Midgley, & Eccles, 1988;Fenzel, 1989;Harter, Whitesell, & Kowalski, 1992;Lord, Eccles, & McCarthy, 1994;McDonald, 1992;Mitman & Packer, 1982) the need for qualitative research, which enables students to have a voice, has been recognised (Brown & Armstrong, 1982;Johnstone, 2001Johnstone, , 2002Kinney, 1993;Letrello & Miles, 2003;Rowland, 2002;Stumpers, 2002;Yates, 1999). Much of the quantitative research reported negative consequences of students' transition experience (Akos & Galassi, 2004a, 2004bAlspaugh, 1998;Barone et al, 1991;Crockett et al, 1989;Feiner et al, 1981;Hirsch & DuBois, 1992;Hirsch & Rapkin, 1987;Isakson & Jarvis, 1999;Reyes et al, 2000).…”

“…Research has investigated the factors that affect school transition experiences such as school size (Cotterell, 1992;Schiller, 1999), structure (Alspaugh, 1998;Barone et al, 1991;Blyth et al, 1978;Blyth et al, 1983), and multiple school transitions (Alspaugh, 1998;Blyth et al, 1983;Crockett et al, 1989;Feiner et al, 1981). Transition research has also explored the effects of school transitions on student outcomes (Akos & Galassi, 2004a;Alspaugh, 1998;Barone et al, 1991;Crockett et al, 1989;Feiner et al, 1981;Hirsch & DuBois, 1992;Hirsch & Rapkin, 1987;Isakson & Jarvis, 1999;Kinney, 1993;Ratelle et al, 2004;Reyes et al, 2000) and more recently, students' perceptions of school transitions (Berndt & Miller, 1990;Feldlaufer et al, 1988;Fenzel, 1989;Harter et al, 1992;Johnstone, 2001Johnstone, , 2002Kinney, 1993;Letrello & Miles, 2003;Lord et al, 1994;McDonald, 1992;Mitman & Packer, 1982;Rowland, 2002;Stumpers, 2002;Yates, 1999).…”

“…Further to this, transition researchers have not only measured the effects of school transitions, they have examined students' perceptions of the transition experience (Akos & Galassi, 2004b;Letrello & Miles, 2003;Yates, 1999). As research has most commonly utilised quantitative methods (Akos & Galassi, 2004a, 2004bBerndt, Miller, & Park, 1989;Feldlaufer, Midgley, & Eccles, 1988;Fenzel, 1989;Harter, Whitesell, & Kowalski, 1992;Lord, Eccles, & McCarthy, 1994;McDonald, 1992;Mitman & Packer, 1982) the need for qualitative research, which enables students to have a voice, has been recognised (Brown & Armstrong, 1982;Johnstone, 2001Johnstone, , 2002Kinney, 1993;Letrello & Miles, 2003;Rowland, 2002;Stumpers, 2002;Yates, 1999).…”

“…Transition researchers have not only measured the effects of school transitions, they have also examined students' perceptions of the transition experience (Akos & Galassi, 2004b;Letrello & Miles, 2003;Yates, 1999). The personal experience of school transitions varies between individuals.…”