1 / 30

Charlotte, North Carolina NSTTAC Capacity Building Institute May 3, 2007

“ Creating Options: Establishing Programs for Students 18-21 Years Old with Intellectual Disabilities”. Charlotte, North Carolina NSTTAC Capacity Building Institute May 3, 2007. Meg Grigal, Ph.D. Senior Research Associate TransCen, Inc. megrigal@transcen.org. Debra A. Neubert, Ph. D.

misty
Download Presentation

Charlotte, North Carolina NSTTAC Capacity Building Institute May 3, 2007

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. “Creating Options: Establishing Programs for Students 18-21 Years Old with Intellectual Disabilities” Charlotte, North Carolina NSTTAC Capacity Building Institute May 3, 2007 Meg Grigal, Ph.D. Senior Research Associate TransCen, Inc. megrigal@transcen.org Debra A. Neubert, Ph. D. Professor University of Maryland dneubert@umd.edu

  2. Postsecondary Outcomes • 14% of students with with disabilities who are out of school two years or less go to post-secondary education institutions • Of these, 16% are students with mental retardation and 4% are students with multiple disabilities • Parents and students who have experienced inclusion increasingly seeking postsecondary experiences

  3. Growing Trend • Currently 112 Community-Based Special Education Programs for students 18-21 (transitioncoalition.org) • 58 are in postsecondary educational institutions • Thinkcollege.net database lists 90 programs in 28 states

  4. Current OSEP Projects • Postsecondary Education Research Center (PERC) Project-TransCen, Inc. (www.transitiontocollege.net) • College Career Connection C3 Project-Institute on Community Inclusion, Umass (www.thinkcollege.net)

  5. Why Design Alternative Options for Students Ages 18-22? • Instruction in adult environments • Allows for new partnerships • Establishes potential for life long learning • Enhances employability • Provides a natural transition to the adult service world for students and parents

  6. What is dual enrollment? students typically aged 18-21 years old who are eligible for special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education act (IDEA) and are still enrolled in high school but take college courses

  7. Dual Enrollment Models • Mixed or Hybrid* • N=45 • Substantially separate* • N=29 • Individual Support* • N=13 * Data from the Thinkcollege.net database

  8. Who do these programs serve? • students with intellectual disabilities 18-21 years old • students attending final 2-3 years of public school • students receiving alternative diploma (certificate) • students participating in alternative assessments

  9. What are the overall goals of these programs? • increased independence • obtain paid employment • participate in PSE • increase mobility • engage adult services • improve social/communication skills • improve self-determination skills • develop friendships/recreation interests

  10. Who funds services & programs? • local school systems • state or federal grants • Private foundations • Rehabilitation • program host (e.g., college, community site) • SSI funds used for students to audit college courses

  11. Who collaborates to support these options? • Local school system • College • Community Site • Business/employers • Parents • VR personnel • DD/MR personnel • DOL personnel • Adult service providers

  12. Planning • Visit/contact other sites • Create advisory committee • Determine/define student population • Conduct a needs assessment • Identify Partners and Resources • Determine desired outcomes • Determine locations and funding sources • Deal with school system logistics

  13. Things to consider when reviewing current services • Who are you trying to serve? • How will the new services be different from what students are currently receiving? • What setting is best equipped to meet students needs? • What contacts and resources are already in place that can be used to serve students?

  14. Determine Location • Contacts • Availability • Schedule • Costs • Office access • Accessibility and Transportation • Community Resources *one location does not preclude the use of others

  15. Review Current Partnerships and Agreements • Make a list of all current contacts in • Local Businesses • Adult Services • Rehabilitation • Developmental Disabilities • College • Determine if formal agreements exist or need to be created

  16. Research new setting(s) • Meet relevant personnel • Learn the language of the setting • Determine hierarchy and protocol • Identify potential natural supports • Identify services that can be used by students • At colleges, get college catalog and schedule of classes. • Read policies on admissions, behavior, tuition, and continuing education • At employment/community setting determine code of conduct and expectations

  17. Issues • Poorly defined program goals • Lack of student involvement in planning and monitoring of activities • Little connection to real life outcomes and employment • Lack of program/service evaluation

  18. Program Goals will impact • Referral criteria • Incoming student data needs • Marketing of services • Student schedule • Location of instruction • Outcome measures

  19. Western Connection Program Goals • Students will annually participate in person-centered planning to identify dreams and determine goals and support needs for the upcoming year. • Students will explore job opportunities in three areas of interest through informational interviews, job shadows and/or business tours. • Students will obtain paid integrated community supported or competitive employment in a field of interest • Students will attend 1-2 audited college courses per year and monitor progress using a curriculum matrix • Students will demonstrate the ability to choose continuing education or college course that fits their schedule and interests, register for that course, and determine transportation to and from the course independently.

  20. Western Connection Program Goals Continued • Students will demonstrate the ability to articulate their support needs in employment settings, college classrooms, community settings, and at home. • Students will monitor personal progress toward goals on a quarterly basis. • Students demonstrate the ability to access public transportation when needed to travel in the community. • Students will participate in their IEP meeting to the best of their ability and at a minimum share their name, accomplishments, support needs, and goals for the upcoming year. • Students will transition out of the program to an adult service provider that will sustain the student’s level of integrated employment..

  21. Don’t be Limited to College Classes • Learning does not have to occur at college • Consider community learning options (ymca, park & rec, home depot) • Ensure that students know what options are available in their community and how to access them.

  22. Create High Expectations • Students should: • Identify/monitor personal goals • Choose courses • Discuss needs with instructor(s) • Discuss needs with employers • Know how to advocate when things are not going well

  23. Taking a class is not enough • Student must know the process • Identify options (college class, adult education, park and recreation) • Registration process and available supports • Payment Process and funding supports • Transportation • Identify future needs/interests

  24. Need for Evaluation • Determine if goals have been met, or need to be revised or expanded • Document types of activities in which student has participated • Document satisfaction of involved parties • Support funding and staffing requests • Demonstrates effectiveness of practices • Document impact on outcomes

  25. The Vision • Increased independence • Socially valued role • Increased responsibility • Access to a college experience • Access to college courses • Employment and support • Connected to adult support systems

  26. Challenges to the vision • Changing location without changing practices or expectations • Maintaining low expectations • Redefining the role of instructor • Lack of student preparedness • Lack of student involvement in process of accessing courses and jobs

  27. Words to the Wise • Be patient, planning takes a great deal of time • Create partnerships early in the process to get buy-in • Clearly articulated goals will change outcomes • Evaluation procedures must be part of daily operations or they never get done • The more individualized the students’ schedules, the more likely it will work in real life

  28. The Promise of Postsecondary Education • Choosing to learn • Learning can be a lifelong option • Connecting learning to real life • Change/Improve self image

  29. 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/

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

More Related