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MCAN Annual Conference: Measuring What Matters East Lansing, Michigan April 30, 2012. by Michael Bray, M.A. Developmental Disabilities Institute Wayne State University. Postsecondary Education for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities:. An Action Plan for Michigan.
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MCAN Annual Conference: Measuring What Matters East Lansing, Michigan April 30, 2012 by Michael Bray, M.A. Developmental Disabilities Institute Wayne State University Postsecondary Education for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: An Action Plan for Michigan The Postsecondary Education (PSE) for Youth with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Project was funded by a grant #20111552-00/20112200-00 awarded by the Michigan Department of Community Health, Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC) and completed by the Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI), Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.
Michigan PSE Project Partners • Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council • Developmental Disabilities Institute • Michigan Disability Rights Coalition • The Arc Michigan, Michigan Alliance for Families • Michigan Protection & Advocacy Service, Inc. • Michigan Community College Association • Michigan Dept. of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (Formerly DELEG) • The Arc of Kent County • Michigan College Access Network • Ready For Life Network • Michigan Department of Community Health • Parent & Advocates
Michigan PSE Project Overview The Problem: • Less than 5% of students with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (ID/DD) attend postsecondary programs such as college or technical training programs. • There are gap in the knowledge of, and preparation for, such post-high school options.
Michigan PSE Project Overview Goals of Project: • Identify existing resources to serve students. • Determine unmet needs and gaps. • Identify why students are not accessing the full array of services and supports that are available to them. • Identify unintended barriers and special problems to overcome. • Identify strategies to meet stakeholder desires and needs.
Michigan PSE Project Overview Activities: • Convened the PSE Project Planning Team. • Implemented a comprehensive, statewide needs assessment of PSE for students with ID/DD, parents, and educators in Michigan. • Developed a PSE Action Plan and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among key stakeholders.
Michigan PSE Project Overview PSE Planning Team: • The PSE Planning Team met once per month starting in December of 2010. • The Team met in Lansing/E. Lansing at the offices of the MDDC and MDRC. • Team members included representatives from various educational, disability, & advocacy groups, as well as parents and persons with disabilities. • Meetings focused on identifying issues facing students in Michigan specifically, and how to best address those issues. • Team members were instrumental in the development of needs assessment tools and their dissemination.
Michigan PSE Project Overview Statewide Needs Assessment: • Two web-based surveys were developed: • One survey for students with ID/DD and their families. • One survey for disability and education professionals. • Survey questions asked about the experiences of students, parents, & professionals with the education system – both secondary & postsecondary – and transitioning between the two: • What was the transition process like for them? • How did they find out about postsecondary options? • What obstacles did they encounter? • What strategies did they use to overcome these obstacles?
Michigan PSE Project Overview Results of Needs Assessment: • Total of 229 people completed the online student/family survey. • Avg. age of 37 years old • 67% Female • 81% Caucasian, 11% African-American • 46% reported disabilities • 53% family members • 42 Counties across Michigan represented • Of those reporting disabilities: • 44% multiple disabilities • 21% Intellectual Disabilities • 21% Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Michigan PSE Project Overview Results of Needs Assessment: • Majority of student/family respondents believed going to college/earning a degree was important. • Only 18% had taken part in any college searches or campus visit activities. • Majority of respondents were unsure if college was an option for them. • Most students had either a Certificate of Completion (27%) or did not finish high school with any document (46%). • Of those in PSE Programs, only 23% are receiving college credit. • Most PSE Program participants reported not being very socially active on their campuses.
Michigan PSE Project Overview Results of Needs Assessment: • Barriers to accessing PSE (According to students/family members): • Lack of support from teachers or counselors. • Lack of transportation options. • Not confident in meeting people/making friends. • Not confident in skills necessary to succeed in college. • Not confident that I can do well in college. • Lack of money/knowledge of grants or student loans. • No help from the disability support office at my school. • I am afraid to go to school. • Do not know where to get information on colleges.
Michigan PSE Project Overview Results of Needs Assessment: • Total of 67 people completed the online professionals survey. • Avg. age of 44 years old. • 79% Female. • 94% Caucasian, 3% African-American. • 10% reported disabilities. • 39% family members. • Majority (87%) work with students/individuals with disabilities regularly.
Michigan PSE Project Overview • Barriers identified by professionals: • Acquiring the (functional) skills necessary to succeed in post-high school settings such as college or work. • Knowledge of the supports and resources that exist to them in the community and on campus and how to ask for and attain them. • Eligibility (certificate vs. diploma) and the financial aspects of higher education. • Lack of transportation. • Lack of effective, realistic transition planning and follow-through from secondary to postsecondary educational settings. • Lack of support. • Lack of social skills and ability to navigate the community/college campus socially. • Barriers identified by students/families: • Lack of support from teachers or counselors. • Lack of transportation options. • Not confident in meeting people/making friends. • Not confident in skills necessary to succeed in college. • Not confident that I can do well in college. • Lack of money/knowledge of grants or student loans. • No help from the disability support office at my school. • I am afraid to go to school. • Do not know where to get information on colleges.
Michigan PSE Project Overview Statewide Needs Assessment: • Three focus groups were conducted: • One parent focus group (6) and one student (8) focus group in Grand Rapids, Michigan • One student focus group in Oscoda, Michigan (12) • Focus groups gave participants the chance to relate their experiences and concerns in person. • Participants’ experiences were compared to the information reported by survey respondents.
Michigan PSE Project Focus Groups • Students reported that: • Those who became interested in college/PSE early had someone who encouraged them to do so. • Transportation was a primary concern/obstacle. • More hands-on experiences were desired, earlier on. • Campus Visits, for example. • They needed more information on where to find college resources and information. • They needed more academic support to succeed. • More PSE options at more Michigan schools! • They were told college was not an option for them. • Money for school was an issue.
Michigan PSE Action Plan Development of Action Plan: • Purpose: to address educational and support needs of students with ID/DD. • Intended to stand as a road map for future PSE Groups and advocates. • Outlines current issues to be addressed at the individual, community, and state levels. • Offers strategies for accomplishing the goals set out in the Plan. • Recommends action to be taken to implement strategies.
Michigan PSE Action Plan Action Plan Focus Areas: • Teacher & Staff Training • Community Partnerships and Collaborations • Hands-On Experiences and Opportunities for Students • Information & Family Outreach: Create Web-Based Information on PSE Programs in Michigan • Transportation • Self-Advocacy & Leadership Training for Students • Mentoring for Students in PSE Programs • Influence State Policy Using Evidence-Based Research & Practice
Michigan PSE Action Plan • Current PSE Team efforts include: • Conference presentations. • Formation of community and professional partnerships and collaborations. • MCAN/NCAN, THINKcollege, Michigan Alliance for Families (MAF) • Training development and implementation. • Increased use of web-based resources. • Website, social media, link with other PSE groups. • Outreach to parents, students, and school personnel.
Michigan PSE Action Plan • Work with MCAN: • Currently developing training sessions. • In-person and web-based. • Aim is to provide training to Local College Access Network (LCAN) members. • Training topics will include: • Working with students with disabilities. • Principles of Person-Centered Planning. • Self-Determination. • Working with parents and advocates of students with disabilities. • Local, state and national disability organizations and resources. • Who to turn to in Michigan for disability-related information.
Michigan PSE Action Plan Into the future! • Michigan DD Council vital link in moving forward. • Multi-level, multi-disciplinary collaboration is key in effectively addressing the issues that students, parents and educators face. • Identifying successful transition and support strategies may offer insight into what can be used on a wider basis. • Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) illustrates the commitment of many Michigan organizations and entities to the importance of improving access to PSE for students with ID/DD. • PSE success will only increase in importance for individuals to be able to live independently. • MUST show PSE’s link to successful employment outcomes!
Michigan PSE Action Plan • Helpful links: • THINKcollege http://www.thinkcollege.net/ • AHEAD http://www.ahead.org/ • MI-TOP http://mi-top.cenmi.org/ • MDRC http://www.copower.org/ • E & E http://www.eeonline.org/ • DDI http://ddi.wayne.edu This presentation is available at: http://ddi.wayne.edu/MCAN.php
Michigan PSE Action Plan Thank you! PSE Team Coordinator: Michael Bray (313) 577-6684 mikebray@wayne.edu http://ddi.wayne.edu Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council: (517) 334-6123 http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2941_4868_4897---,00.html