Olivia Hester

HIGHLIGHTED PUBLICATIONS

1. Hester, O. R., Jolivette, K., & Swoszowski, N. C. (2024). Supporting transition-readiness skills for adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders using check-in/check-out. Beyond Behavior, 33(2), 76-88. https://doi.org/10.1177/10742956241252343.
2. Hester, O. R. & Jolivette, K. (2024). Special considerations for reentry of at-risk youth from juvenile justice facilities: Voices from the field. Journal of Correctional Education, 75(1), 4-11. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48761712.
3. Hester, O. R., Taconet, A. V., & Lombardi, A. (2024). Addressing the transition needs of justice-involved youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Correctional Education, 75(1), 91-115. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48761716.
4. Hester, O. R., Jolivette, K., Sanders, S., Virgin, A. S., & Pitzel, A. (2024). “Let’s move forward from here”: Partner snapshots of youth transition from juvenile corrections. Journal of Correctional Education, 75(1), 12-36. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48761713.
5. Shelton, S. A., Sanders, S., Jolivette, K., Odom, K. P., Hester, O. R., Hackney, A. J., Preast, J. L., Ma, W., & Prewitt, N. B. (2023, invited). Conducting trauma-informed focus groups with vulnerable participants: Research(er) reflexivity in
6. juvenile justice facilities. SAGE Research Methods: Cases, 2-26. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529683691.
7. Hester, O. R., Cooney, L., & McMahon, D. (2023). Navigation support for students with intellectual disability using mobile devices. Journal of Special Education Technology, 1-10. https://www.doi.org/10.177/01626434231210989.
8. Hester, O. R., Jolivette, K., & Swoszowski, N. C. (2022). Adaptations to check-in/check-out for students with disabilities during vocational training. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 56(4), 274-282. https://doi.org/10.1177/00400599221112078.
9. Hester, O. R. & Swoszowski, N. C. (2022). Using check-in/check-out during vocational training for young adults with intellectual disability. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 45(2), 86-98. https://doi.org/10.1177/21651434211041913.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS / ACTIVITIES

• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
• Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT)

BIOGRAPHY

Olivia R. Hester, Ph.D., is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Alabama. Her research focuses on the skills and programming necessary to prepare youth with and at-risk for disabilities in alternative education settings (e.g., juvenile justice facilities, residential treatment centers) for successful transitions into traditional K-12 schools, the community, and competitive employment. Her research involves the integration of transition services into daily programming (e.g., literacy instruction, tiered transition supports) and identifying evidence-based practices in transition/reentry (e.g., person-centered planning, self-directed IEPs).