The consulting of executive practitioners in participative cooperation: How professionals view the inclusive transition process of youths with disabilities in Austria

The transition of youths with disabilities from mandatory schooling into further education or vocation is still a major challenge for inclusive measures in the Austrian transition system. In the last decade, projects from the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), including 'Participatory experiences in the vocational biography of persons with intellectual disabilities' and 'Cooperation for an inclusive education transition', have undertaken research into how youths with disabilities can achieve a successful transition and which factors limit or prohibit this process. Since continuous cooperation between transition professionals, parents and youths has been shown to be the most promising approach, this article considers and analyses the views of experts on the transition process. The research methodology is located within basic research, as it explores the notion of 'participative cooperation', which has not yet been explicitly addressed. Through three Reflecting Team-modified group discussions, the various professionals and the research team maintained a continuous three-year research cooperation. The main concerns of the professionals are the plethora of jurisdictions, actors with different degrees of power and intentions, coaches with too many assigned youths, the lack of incentives for youths with disabilities to seek work in the general labour market, and the lack of cooperation of parents.