This paper provides an overview of the transition process for students with severe handicaps. For secondary age youths with severe handicaps, explicit and intensive transition planning is necessary to bridge the gap between school experiences and adult life. The transition planning process is designed to build the skills necessary for an individual to function competently in the community and to establish support services necessary to ensure that participation is maximized and maintained over time. The focal point of the transition process is the development of a formal individualized transition plan (ITP) for every student with handicaps. The ITP must begin before placement in the community occurs. With the transition team effort, the ITP identifies adult residential and employment goals, and support services needed to maximize independence in the community. The Community Based Inservice Model (CBIM) is a federally funded project that is designed to provide training to educators to assist the transition of youth with moderate to severe handicaps. The CBIM offers training opportunities in transition planning, community based activities, and the placement of students in community jobs. The vocational component features community jobs at integrated job sites, on-site job training, and a variety of job experiences. The community based component teaches skills such as shopping, laundry, and banking in the community where the skills will be used. (KS)