Theres A New Kid in Town: National Trends, Research, and Initiatives Supporting Students with Intell

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Theres A New Kid in Town National Trends,
Research, and Initiatives Supporting Students
with Intellectual Disabilities in Postsecondary
Education
Navigating the Road from School to Adulthood for
all Youth with Disabilities Sharing An
Agenda November 28, 2007

• Meg Grigal, Ph.D. Amy Dwyre, M.S.Senior
  Research Associate Research Associate
• TransCen, Inc. TransCen, Inc.
• megrigal_at_verizon.net adwyre_at_transcen.org
• www.transitiontocollege.net

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Growing Trend

• Thinkcollege.net database lists 110 postsecondary
  education programs in 30 states
• There is no federal entity that collects data on
  programs or practices

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www.thinkcollege.net
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Postsecondary Education Models

• Mixed/Hybrid 57
• Separate 38
• Inclusive Individual Support Model 4.8

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Type of Institute of Higher Education

• 2-year 45
• 4-year 55

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Number of Years in Existence

• 3 months - 25 years

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Who Pays?
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Current National Initiatives

• Higher Education Act Amendments
• Include access to work study funds
• Include model demonstration projects/TA Center
• Spellings Announcement
• National Down Syndrome Society Projects

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Other State Initiatives

• Massachusetts Funding
• California Project
• Ohio PSE Conference
• Tennessee Symposium at Vanderbilt University
• South Carolina Funding
• Michigan Symposium

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Current OSEP Projects

• Postsecondary Education Research Center (PERC)
  Project-TransCen, Inc.
• College Career Connection (C3) Institute for
  Community Inclusion, University of
  Massachusetts/Boston

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The PERC Project

• The purpose of the PERC Project is to demonstrate
  and research exemplary practices supporting
  students with intellectual disabilities ages
  18-21 in postsecondary settings.

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Project Goals

• Conduct site improvement activities
• Support PERC site to provide statewide technical
  assistance
• Collect and synthesize data on the efficacy and
  outcomes of the model
• Disseminate findings nationally

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Mixed or Hybrid Model

• Program Center and Coordinator
• Concurrent/Dual Enrollment
• Employment
• Individualized instruction

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Preliminary Data

• CT PERC
• 92 in paid work (clothing retail, humane
  society, restaurants, grocery stores)
• Work an average of 8.3 hours per week for an
  average of 7.50/hour
• 100 auditing classes (History, Theater,
  Psychology, English courses)

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Preliminary Data

• MD PERC
• 88 in paid work ( restaurant worker, usher,
  office clerk, utility worker, grocery store,
  retail, golf course, federal government)
• Work an average of 22.7 hours per week for
  average 8.00/hour
• 44 auditing classes (reading and vocabulary,
  computer basics, keyboarding, writing, food
  certification)

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Resources

• Program Self-Assessment tool
• Self-Advocacy checklist
• ICI Research Brief
• Benefits to College
• Tips for Parents
• State Program Initiatives Information

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Books

• Transition Services for Students with Significant
  Disabilities in College and Community Settings
  -Grigal, Neubert, Moon (2005)
  http//www.proedinc.com/
• Going to College - Getzel Wehman (2005)
• http//www.brookespublishing.com/

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Videos

• Through the Same Door Inclusion Includes College
  (2006)
• http//www.throughthesamedoor.com/
• PSU
• Life Link PSU DVD
• http//soar.ois.psu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/SOAR.wo
  a/wa/campusRegister?productId0521DVD

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Websites

• www.transitiontocollege.net
• www.thinkcollege.net
• www.education.umd.edu/oco
• www.transitioncoalition.org
• www.STEPS-Forward.org
• www.heath.gwu.edu