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Postsecondary Education for People with Intellectual Disabilities

Postsecondary Education for People with Intellectual Disabilities. TASH Webinar Session 3 September 29, 2010. Transition to College for Students with Intellectual Disabilities. What did college give you?. New and expanded skills Better employment options Social Network Time to explore

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Postsecondary Education for People with Intellectual Disabilities

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  1. Postsecondary Education for People with Intellectual Disabilities TASH Webinar Session 3 September 29, 2010

  2. Transition to College for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

  3. What did college give you? New and expanded skills Better employment options Social Network Time to explore Invent or reinvent your identity

  4. Student Challenges • Youth with ID are not adequately prepared, academically or socially, to transition to college. • Most do not have the fundamental readiness skills (i.e., reading, math and computer skills) and social skills (i.e., work expectation and etiquette). TransCen, Inc. 2006

  5. System Challenges • Agencies do not connect youth with ID and families with colleges. • Very few agencies indicated that they had articulation agreements with postsecondary institutions to provide disability-related services or supports. -TransCen, Inc. 2006

  6. The Big Challenges • Expectations • Funding • Access and Documentation • Supports

  7. Low Expectations 11% of students with ID have goal of attending a 2 or 4 year college 58% of students with any types of disabilities Students with ID more likely to have sheltered employment as a goal Less likely to have competitive employment goals

  8. Funding Options • Vocational Rehabilitation • Order of Selection • Priority of services • Medicaid Waiver • Every state is different • Creative matching of services with funding • No tuition • Tuition Waivers-SSI recipients • Some community college, not all • Financial Aid – HEA • Financial need (Pell, SEOG, Workstudy) • Need to be approved as a CTP

  9. Documentation • IEP is not usually accepted • Current psych eval (not less than 3 years old) • Parents have to pay for outside evaluations • Parents and students are unprepared

  10. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) • FERPA gives parents rights to children's education records. • rights transfer to the student 18 • At the postsecondary level, parents have no inherent rights to access or inspect their son or daughter's education records.

  11. Things school systems can do for families • Discuss needed evaluations • Provide lists of sliding scale educational testing service • Discuss ramifications of FERPA • Discuss the difference between IDEA and Rehab Act Amendments and ADA regarding equal access and supports. • Help families and students start early

  12. Things you can do for students • Include accommodations as IEP goal • Discuss the need for current evaluation annually • Identify the appropriate and available college supports • Support use of college accommodations in HS

  13. Stages of parental panic High (my kid is leaving HS this year) Medium (My kid is leaving HS next year ) Low (my kid just got into HS)

  14. Typical Transition Stuff IEP Meetings Transition Fairs Checklists Parent Teacher Conferences

  15. Parents’ Needs Help understanding what’s out there More full day options Support for (work, transportation, adult learning, social events) Advice on managing benefits A NAP!!

  16. Students’ Needs A chance to understand their options Experiences in different settings People who believe that PSE is possible Encouragement to be motivated to LEARN!!

  17. Priorities What would I like to see in one year? Home Transportation College Social Life Work What would I like to see in five years? Home Transportation College Social Life Work

  18. The Balance Getting what you want for your kid VS What’s out there

  19. What’s out there What is available in your community? What isn’t available in your community? How far are you willing to go to get it?

  20. The Overlap of What’s Possible What my child wants to do What I want my child to do What is available? Options, Time, Money

  21. Current Forms of Access • Dual enrollment (18-21) • College initiated • Adult agency initiated • Student & family initiated

  22. Ideally… Students with ID access college in typical ways, (orientation, financial aid, disability services, participation in integrated college courses, etc). Students gain and maintain paid employment in their community. Services are provided in collaboration with state/local agencies.

  23. What is the experience of a high school student with ID? Little input on the classes they take Little input on the jobs they get Lots of pressure to have a plan Low expectations that they will succeed No expectations that they will go to college

  24. What did you get out of college? The RIGHT ANSWERS A degree A career To value the importance of learning

  25. The REAL ANSWERS • How the system works • How to work the system And how to: A) date B) write a paper at 3am C) sneak beer into a dorm D) all of the above

  26. Other College Outcomes How to handle failure What works, what doesn’t work What you need to be successful How to access desired knowledge How to balance your life & schedule What might be the next step

  27. Kinds of Learning in College Process-how to access learning as an adult Experience-what does it feel like to learn with other adults outside of high school Content-I am interested in art history, computers, theater and want to know more

  28. Bella 20 year old student in a dual enrollment program Wants to go to a community college Can’t pass the placement tests Audits the introductory math course Twice….then Takes it for credit Takes and passes the placement test

  29. Robert Works in a grocery store bagging and collecting shopping carts Wants a job in the bakery but has no experience Takes two cake decorating classes through his local park and recreation department Puts the class on his resume and applies for Bakery job when an opening occurs.

  30. So what can parents do? Begin the conversation Review current plans (what’s working-what’s not?) Priorities change Focus on the Big Picture, it may take awhile.

  31. Lets step into the shoes of the students we are talking about…..

  32. What did you struggle with most in college? • Did you talk about it with a lot of people? • Did you have to fill out forms documenting it? • Were there checklist/surveys/books/DVD/podcasts telling what to do about it?

  33. College Expectations • Students are responsible for identifying own disability • Students make all coursework selections • Students must identify and advocate for support needs • Assistance is by request only • Student is primary decision maker

  34. What do we expect of students with disabilities? • Disability knowledge • Accommodations • Articulating needs (elementary, middle or HS)

  35. We expect a LOT from young people Remember, everyone struggles to a certain extent in college. Not all challenges are related to a disability.

  36. Disability • Understand your disability • Get comfortable describing it • know how to explain it to others/and advocate if needed

  37. A faculty perspective “I think that it is primarily a students’ issue. We would love to help. We are willing to cooperate. . . . To me it makes a big difference when they come to you at the beginning of the quarter and they are registered with ODS. In general, students need to be able to approach you. They also need to be an advocate for themselves”

  38. Students with disabilities who approach faculty early in the year to request accommodations have more positive learning experiences. • (Izzo Hertzfeld, & Aaron, 2001).

  39. How shall I put this? “I have hard time with verbal remembering steps.” “I have a language disability and trouble finding the right words. I didn't want everyone to know that I had a disability” “I have Asperger's- high functioning autism-but it takes me longer to do things. I don’t like change- rigidity- that's me. I can be a little antisocial.” “I have an emotional disability- I get supremely nervous/ anxious. I can completely shut down going to a new place”

  40. Information is Power • Know what worked in HS • Know what didn’t work in HS • Know what’s available in college • Know the relationship between disability documentation and accommodations.

  41. Knowing it and saying it are two different things • How do you practice something that no one expects you to do? • Include articulation of disability and accommodations on IEP as early as possible.

  42. The PERC Self Advocacy Checklistwww.transitiontocollege.net • Student directed • Education/employment/social • Modifiable • Always use students own words

  43. How do you ask for help? “There is always a hesitation- sometimes I let opportunities slip by. "I don't want to bother anyone” “I like to have people check to make sure I have done an assignment right” “When I feel like I am struggling I’ll raise my hand or go after class, you can't be afraid to ask”

  44. Things you can do • Encourage understanding disability • Identify needed supports or accommodations • Explain why support is needed • Rehearse how to ask for help • Help students locate resources

  45. Time Management/Study Skills • Explore study skills classes/summer programs • Get a copy of the syllabus • Schedule time to study and to take breaks • Program everything into your phone with set reminders

  46. I sprained my ankle and I missed a few classes. It was my responsibility to make up the work so I didn’t go on academic probation- Martha, college student

  47. Understand your goals • Be clear about what you are trying to achieve and why • Communicate your goals with advisors, professors • Be realistic about what you can handle • Don’t compare yourself to others

  48. Staying Motivated • Set small, achievable goals. • Take some classes that are just for you. • Don’t let others distract you from accomplishing your task. • Find friends who are in your class to keep you motivated.

  49. The Payoff… “I am doing well- I have gotten a paying job in a child care and I have had to speak up for myself and ask questions “I am more of a leader/ I am not as scared as I was asking for help ”. “I am better describing my disability than before. I know where to go to when I need help ”.

  50. The Ultimate College Outcomes Being a consumer of your education instead of a passive recipient Viewing the acquisition of knowledge as a desirable experience Connecting learning to real outcomes

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