# data[].attributes.body
Learn the terms that educators are using with you! Here are the definitions of the disability categories which you will see in a student's IEP and that teachers will use in conversation.

# data[].attributes.body
A fact sheet discussing developing culturally responsive transition practices.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Instruction in self-advocacy is one of the five required Pre-Employment Transition Services of the 2014 Title IV, Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, PL 113-128 (29 USC 3101).

Instruction in self-advocacy (including instruction in person-centered planning), may include peer mentoring, and must be made available, in collaboration with local education agencies (LEAs), to all students with disabilities who need them, and are eligible or potentially eligible for VR services.
What is Self-Advocacy?
Often self-determination and self-advocacy are used interchangeably, yet in education and many other disability and research disciplines, self-advocacy is one element of self-determination. Self-advocacy refers to an individual's ability to effectively communicate, convey, negotiate or assert his/her own interests and/or desires. The development of self-advocacy skills should be started at an early age. These skills will be needed in education, workplace and community settings (WINTAC, 2020).
What Skills are the Focus Areas of Instruction in Self-Advocacy as a Pre-Employment Transition Service?

Disability disclosure

Disability understanding

Decision making (including supported decision making)

Effective communication (requesting help, assertiveness, listening)

Evaluating options

Goal setting and attainment

Identifying independence

Identifying, selecting, requesting, ...utilizing modifications

Intrinsic motivation

Leadership (personal and systemic)

Knowledge of rights and responsibilities

Problem solving

Progress monitoring

Self-awareness

Self-determination

Self-efficacy

Self-reflection

What is Person-Centered Planning? Person Centered Planning is an ongoing problem-solving process used to help people with disabilities plan for their future. In person centered planning, groups of people focus on an individual and that person's vision of their life and what they would like to do in the future.

What is Peer Mentoring? Peer mentoring is a key component of instruction in self-advocacy for pre-employment transition services. Peers are individuals who share some common characteristics, attributes or circumstances.

Peer mentoring is a process through which a more experienced individual encourages and assists a less experienced individual within a shared area of interest.

Mentoring relationships can keep students with disabilities in school, contribute to positive self-esteem, and identify realistic career and academic goals. Examples include:

Peer mentors can share experience working in competitive integrated employment in similar career area(s) of interest;

Peer mentors can share experience identifying their own support needs, requesting accommodations, using Disability Student Services on college campuses and other post-secondary education opportunities.

Some State VR agencies have established peer mentoring programs for students with disabilities, which can be used as one strategy to deliver instruction in self-advocacy as a pre-employment transition service.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Instruction in Self-AdvocacyInstruction in self-advocacy is one of the five required Pre-Employment Transition Services of the 2014 Title IV, Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, PL 113-128 (29 USC 3101). Instruction in self-advocacy (including instruction in person-centered planning), may include peer mentoring, and must be made available, in collaboration with local education ...

# data[].attributes.body
1.  Ways to Reduce Implicit Bias
2. Culturally Responsive Transition Planning
3. Transition Planning Tips for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Youth with Disabilities
4. Culturally Responsive Transition Practices

# data[].attributes.body
1. The 411 on Disability Disclosure
2. Accessing Disability Services in College
3. College Accommodations
4. I'm Determined
5. Charting the Lifecourse
6. The Rights of College Students with Disabilities
7. Disclosure and Reasonable Accommodations (webinar training)

# data[].attributes.body
This video is a training offered on learning about ADA reasonable accommodations and disclosing a disability to an employer.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Skills to Pay the Bills
2. Skills to Pay the Bills (Spanish version)
3. Daily Living Skills Assessment (pictorial)
4. Employability Skills Survey
5. Workplace Readiness Checklist
6. Money Smart Games
7. Positive Attitude Questionnaire
8. Financial Literacy with Financial Football

# data[].attributes.body
1. Informational Interviewing (pictorial)
2. DOL Apprenticeships
3. Work-based Learning for Students with High Support Needs (article)
4. Work Site Tour Questions
5. Informational Interviewing

# data[].attributes.body
1. Think College
2. Huntington University - ABLE Program
3. AIM Academy
4. Marion Community Schools - IMPACT Program
5. IUPUI SITE Program
6. Conversations about College (article)
7. 20 College Programs for Students with Disabilities

# data[].attributes.body
1. CampusReel - College campus videos
2. 100 College Videos
3.  Go College
4. College Navigator
5. University of Indianapolis - Build Program
6. Students with Disabilities in Higher Education: Facts and Statistics
7.  Disability-Friendly Colleges

# data[].attributes.body
1. Interest Inventory
2. Recreational Skills and Preferences
3. What Do I Want to Do
4. Pictorial Interest Inventory

# data[].attributes.body
1. Workplace Environment Preferences Worksheet
2. Workplace Observations Worksheet
3. Career Cluster Interest Inventory
4. Your Next Move (online interest inventory)
5.  Non-Traditional Jobs
6. Transition Assessment Matrix (online assessment sorter)
7.  Learn More Indiana
8. Career Exploration Lesson Plans
9. Explore Work Lesson Plans

# data[].attributes.body
1. Collaboration Skills (article)
2. Collaboration Guide
3. Collaboration: Partnering With Colleagues, Families, and Caregivers to Promote Student Success
4. IRIS Interagency Collaboration Training Module
5. Fact Sheet on Characteristics of Interagency Collaboration
6. Collaborative Strategies
7. Transition Specialist Competencies
8. Portfolio Development: T-folio (lesson plans, activities, portfolio creation)
9. Indiana Disability Categories

# data[].attributes.body
1. Pre-ETS Vendor Portal Guide
2. Pre-ETS Vendor Portal Cheat Sheet
3. Azure Activity Directory

# data[].attributes.body
1. What is padlet?
2. Video tutorial: Learn Padlet and Using with Students
3.Video tutorial Using Padlet for Remote Instruction

# data[].attributes.body
Pre-ETS Vendor Portal

# data[].attributes.body
Understanding what to do when there seems to be a cultural difference or unawareness within ourselves, our students, or employers is important. Learning, being curious, and asking respectful questions is a big step toward awareness, understanding, and cultural humility.

# data[].attributes.headline
Disability-Friendly Colleges and Universities 

# data[].attributes.subject
Disability-Friendly Colleges and Universities 

# data[].attributes.body
This resource provides a search engine of college programs and information on the resources available at each college.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Transitioning to a post secondary education is a big deal for any rising college student. For disabled students, however, it is an entirely different ball game. Certainly, there are a number of colleges specifically for disabled students, such as Gallaudet University, which serves deaf and hard-of-hearing students; however, the majority of students with physical disabilities opt for immersion with their non-disabled peers when seeking a college education. In fact, statistics on disabled college students show that 11% of college students have a documented disability - and because of students who choose not to self-identify, the true number if probably far larger.

What Can Disabled Students Do if They Face Discrimination in College?

The Individuals with Disabilities Education ACT (IDEA) has very specific protections for students who have any disability in a federally funded school, from pre-K through 12th Grade. However, the laws exist, but are a little less clear as far as protections and accommodations go for disabled college students. State Funded Programs including higher education are covered by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and vocational schools and private colleges offer protections to disabled students under the ADA Title III. Section 504 specifically relates to institutions that receive federal funding. These protections ensure that disabled students are given what they need to receive an equal education with access to "reasonable accommodations." It is variable, however, how individual schools define accommodations that are "reasonable."

This is the key reason why we felt it was important to create a list of schools that take accessibility seriously when considering the needs of disabled students. We wrote a previous ranking that focused on s chools that provide excellent support for students with learning disabilities. While there is quite a bit of crossover, this list is geared more towards schools that provide excellent accommodations for students with physical disabilities.

Let's talk about accommodations

Accommodations come in many shapes and sizes and might look a little different for each student. When considering the needs of students with physical and learning disabilities, extra support can include: longer test taking times, audio recording or note taking services, the use of technology or specialized apps including dictation software, moving a classroom or lab to a more accessible building, among many other possibilities. Some schools take their work of creating a more equitable and accessible learning environment to the next level by offering extensive support services that can include extra mental health support, access to on campus support groups for disabled students, and even athletic teams use adaptive principles. Some schools considered universal design while creating curricula and building infrastructure.

This is a list that we researched consisting of the best colleges for students with physical disabilities. In each profile we are highlighting the services they offer and the reasons why it is a good fit for a disabled student entering college. While it can be seen as a list of colleges for special needs students, we'd like to think of it more as a series of schools that frame inclusion as a driving force in their mission.

This list of academic institutions was gratifying to write. It was meditation that the world is a much more inclusive place for disabled people then it once was. It is easy to forget that sometimes as we are immersed in media that can often tell us something different. We have come a long way though, and yes, we are still going. Academic environments in particular are evolving to not only be more inclusive to disabled students, but offer majors that support people to understand the history and commit their lives to making the world even more aware. Schools for disabled students are becoming a thing of the past, as the future looks like inclusion and immersion.

How Can We Help More Disabled Students Go to College?

As you can see, many of the schools on the list are employing universal design strategies that go beyond the concept of "reasonable accommodations." They do this in service of creating a world that is already usable people of all abilities and bodies. The principles of universal design are some of the most radical in terms of inclusion and adaptability. They are applied to architecture and approaches to learning, which includes curriculum curation. While this is the future, some schools have already begun using these concepts, and others have ways to go. You will see from this list that some schools are much more hands off in their approach to supporting disabled students. They believe in a certain level of self-determination that requires the students to do the majority of the work to get their needs met. Other schools have a model of support that is much more immersive and collaborative. Some of them bring together teams that surround the student, which can include coaches, advisers, and faculty members that are there to ensure the participant is finding what they need in terms of adaptability and emotional support.

What are the Main Barriers Keeping Disabled Students from Going to College?

Access has historically, and in some cases continues to be, a real issue. You will see that every school on this list has an inventory of adaptive technologies. Some have their own labs that act as the home to their arsenal of technical resources. Other schools have a check-out system that is done on a case-by-case basis. Many of them provide adaptive furniture, service animals and housing accommodations. Some schools specialize in serving students with learning disabilities and other schools place their focus on ensuring that there are adaptive sports teams and recreational activities that accommodate students in wheelchairs. The primary thing that all of the schools on the list have in common is a commitment to meet the needs of their entire student body, which includes disabled students. Hopefully in the next decade lists like this will no longer be an issue. Let's all keep working towards the world where accessibility in education and the workplace is a given and not something special. Attending a school on this list and getting educated as a disabled person is a good step towards making that world. As is majoring or minoring in one of the programs that we touched upon in the field of Disability Studies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Best Disability Friendly Colleges and Universities for 2022 | Top Schools for Disabled Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Transitioning to a post secondary education is a big deal for any rising college student. For disabled students, however, it is an entirely different ball game. Certainly, there are a number of colleges specifically for disabled students, such as Gallaudet University, which serves deaf and hard-of-hearing students; however, the majority of students with physical disabilities opt for immersion with their non-disabled peers when seeking a college education.

# data[].attributes.body
20 Colleges With Great Programs for Students With Disabilities
This article provides an overview to 20 college programs for students with I/DD.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Graduating high school and entering college is often seen as a coming-of-age experience. It marks the starting point of many things: obtaining independence, developing and harnessing various skills, making new and potentially lifelong friends and gathering new experiences. However, it can also be difficult adjusting to these new aspects of college life.

This can be especially worrisome for students with disabilities and their parents. Along with the usual considerations of price, location and merit of the university, you'll also want to look into the certificate programs your top-choice schools offer for students with disabilities because not all programs are created equal.

Mighty contributor Courtney Hansen has already begun looking into college programs for her twin boys, one of whom has Down syndrome. While researching various colleges, she saw a stark contrast in the ways many top universities treat their disabled students. In her article " Yes, My Son With Down Syndrome Can Go to College," she wrote:

I noticed that these college programs are not all created equal. They range from Syracruse's InclusiveU Program, which boasts a four-year certification program where students take the same exact classes as their neurotypical peers and live with those peers, to community college programs where students are completely segregated and only learn life skills. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these college programs fall into the latter category.

Many available disability services provide sign language interpreter services, accommodations for testing and note-taking, priority seating and registration, and assistive learning devices or adaptive technology. However, there are universities that don't just stop there. Some universities also have inclusive programs that add invaluable life, work and academic skills while still focusing on the typical college experience.

With thousands of colleges to choose from all over the country, we asked a few of our Mighty communities what colleges they recommend with really outstanding programs for students with disabilities.
Here are a few of their suggestions:
1. Appalachian State University

(Boone, North Carolina)

Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program (SDAP) at Appalachian State is a two-year certificate program for students with intellectual disabilities. Students in the program are supported by disability staff and other students who serve as peer mentors. Students design their own schedule and can enroll in classes just like any other university student. They are also able to participate in employment opportunities, internships and volunteer positions.
If you're interested in learning more about Appalachian State University's disability programs and services, visit its website.
2. Auburn University

(Auburn, Alabama)

"Auburn University worked with me even when I missed so many classes I would have 'failed due to absences.' They wiped that semester out for me and my accommodations kept me healthy enough. Also, my friend had severe dyslexia and had lots of accommodations as well. All this was 2006 to 2010 so I can only imagine how much better it is now," said Mighty community member Megan S.

In addition to an inclusive university atmosphere, the EAGLES (Education to Accomplish Growth in Life Experiences for Success) Program is a non-degree track for students with intellectual disabilities. The program offers a two-year program that focuses on developing leadership skills, life skills and independence. EAGLES students participate in coursework, work-training, community service projects and academic coaching sessions.
Find out more about Auburn University's disability programs and services on the school's website.
3. California State University, Fresno

(Fresno, California)

Wayfinders at CSU Fresno is a two-year non-degree program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Students in the Wayfinder program take classes on interviewing, communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and more. They eventually practice and hone these skills through a four-semester internship. Students living in dorms get extra assistance on independent living skills like budgeting, and have full access to on-campus activities, including the university's devoted Special Olympics team.

In addition, Fresno State recently began its TRiO program, which provides opportunities for low-income disabled students to receive personalized career counseling, academic coaches, financial literacy advising and more. The university's disability support services also offer scholarships to students in its programs.
If you want to know more about California State University, Fresno's disability programs and services, visit its website.
4. California State University, Northridge (CSUN)

(Northridge, California)

CSUN Explorers is a two-year certificate program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. CSUN students take academic classes each semester and in topics to develop independence, life skills and career skills. They also have the chance to be a part of on-campus internships and clubs. Each student is paired with a peer mentor for each class and a buddy for each club they are in.

In addition, CSUN has one of the largest deaf communities of any college campus in the country. Students receive access to speech-to-word transcribers, priority registration, note takers and more. CSUN also hosts conferences every year to discuss the best ways to support youth with hearing loss in education.
Learn more about California State University, Northridge's disability programs and services on its website.
5. Clemson University

(Clemson, South Carolina)

ClemsonLIFE is a Clemson University program that helps students with intellectual disabilities integrate into college life and independent living. ClemsonLIFE is divided into its two-year basic program and two-year advanced program. The basic program teaches students how to do well in class, find employment and live a healthy lifestyle. The advanced program is for students who successfully complete the basic program and want to build on their knowledge.
To learn more about Clemson University's disability programs and services, visit its website.
6. Curry College

(Milton, Massachusetts)

Curry College's Program for Advancement of Learning (PAL) is an internationally recognized disability program named by College Magazine as one of the top 10 colleges for students with learning disabilities. The program has a low 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio so each student gets individual care. It offers a summer program that doesn't just help students familiarize themselves with the college campus but also with the Boston area through field trips and tours. The program also helps international students with disabilities by giving them an individually designed cultural immersion program and a peer group of students from a similar cultural background.
If you want to get additional information about Curry College's disability programs and services, visit its website.
7. Kent State University

(Kent, Ohio)

"I went to Kent State University and their disability program was way ahead of any others at the time. (I graduated in 1995.) I think it is likely still a great program because, in the last alumni magazine, there was a 6-8 page article about the deaf community," said Mighty community member Kelly B.

In addition to its inclusive atmosphere, Kent State's Campus Transition Project (CTP) is a three-year program designed for students with intellectual disabilities to have a good campus experience. Curriculum varies based on a student's individual needs, field of study and interests, but the ultimate goal for the program is for students to become independent, develop social skills, gain confidence and have an authentic college experience.
Get additional information about Kent State University's disability programs and services by visiting the school's website.
8. Lesley University

(Cambridge, Massachusetts)

The Threshold Program at Lesley U is a non-degree, two-year program for students with learning differences. During the first two years of college, the program focuses on career development, independent living and creating a supportive college environment. After completion, the university offers students assistance to transition into the real world. They have the option to either remain on campus, take classes and intern part-time or live off campus, take courses on how to register for state support and begin looking for employment.
To learn more about Lesley University's disability programs and services, visit its website.
9. Marshall University

(Huntington, West Virginia)

The H.E.L.P. (Higher Education for Learning Problems) program at Marshall University is a nationally recognized support program for students with learning disabilities. Within the H.E.L.P program are seven divisions that tackle various aspects of college. For example, students can choose the skills development program, which teaches disabled college students how to become organized and succeed academically or the summer prep program, which helps integrate freshman and transfer students into Marshall University by teaching them about available resources.
To learn more about Marshall University's others disability programs, visit its website.
10. Missouri State University

(Springfield, Missouri)

Missouri State's Bear POWER (Promoting Opportunities for Work, Education and Resilience) is a two-year, five-semester program that allows students to develop their own career and course plan with the help of mentors. The program began earlier this year to support students with disabilities. Students develop life skills while receiving guidance on resume building, career development and interviewing. During your second semester, students get the opportunity to demonstrate their skills at an internship, either on-campus or in the community. POWER students are paired with up to five student mentors who provide social, academic and health support. Missouri State's Disability Resource Center has various scholarships open to students with disabilities.
If you're interested in learning more about Missouri State University's disability programs and services, visit the website.
11. New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)

(New York or Long Island, New York)

"NYIT on Long Island has a traditional degree program along with a vocational-internship program for students [who] would benefit [from] the daily activities of living too," said Mighty community member Eileen H.

NYIT's Vocational Independence Program (VIP) is a transition program for young adults with learning disabilities. The program, which lasts three years, places students in internships, professional development classes and academic support resources. Qualified applicants can also enroll to get an associate's degree in communication arts or business administration. If you're not sure if you want to enroll in VIP, the university also has a five-week summer program called I-to-I. It allows students to try out the VIP curriculum, integrate into residential life at NYIT and enjoy campus activities.
Want to know more about the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)'s disability programs and services? Visit its website.
12. Southern Oregon University

(Ashland, Oregon)

University Coaching and Academic Mentoring (UCAM) is a year-long program at Southern Oregon University that includes academic coaching, student mentors, writing coaches and skill development classes. Your coach can provide advice on navigating school life, assistance on setting long-term academic and career goals and a study buddy. Students who regularly utilized UCAM's resources improved their GPA an average of 0.72 points, according to the school. Students registered with the disability center are given a weekly list of scholarships and internship opportunities they can apply for.
To get more information about Southern Oregon University's disability program, visit its website.
13. Syracuse University

(Syracuse, New York)

Syracuse University is internationally recognized for its programs for disabled individuals. As Mighty contributor Courtney Hansen wrote, Syracuse's InclusiveU allows students to enroll in regular classes, participate in school programs and intern on campus. The internship takes place during a students' last year and the student is placed in an area of their interest. The school also offers seminars taught by the program's staff and students workers. These seminars include topics such as an exercise and nutrition, a history of disabilities in the U.S. and financial literacy, among others. They also have a Peer2Peer program, which pairs InclusiveU students with other students on campus.
If you're interested in learning more about Syracuse University's disability programs and services, visit its website.
14. Texas Tech University

(Lubbock, Texas)

Texas Tech was named one of the most affordable universities for disabled students and has one of the best online programs for students. In addition to the accommodations that Texas Tech's disability center provides to 2,000 of its students, the university also has the TECHniques program. TECHniques is an academic support service that assists students with learning disabilities, ADHD or who are on the autism spectrum. It provides one-on-one tutoring and sessions with an academic counselor each week. It is the only program of its kind in Texas. The student disability center also offers scholarships specifically for its and compiles a list of external organizations that offer scholarships to disabled students.
To find out more about Texas Tech University's disability programs and services, visit its website.
15. The College of New Jersey (TCNJ)

(Ewing, New Jersey)

The Career and Community Studies Program (CCS) at TCNJ is a four-year certificate program for students with intellectual disabilities. Students in CCS are given a student life mentor to support their transition into college and become more active on campus. In addition, CSS students wtake courses in career development, health and technology. In their last three years in the program, students can apply what they learned in off-campus and on-campus jobs and internships.
If you're interested in learning more about The College of New Jersey's disability programs and services, visit its website.
16. University of Arizona

(Tucson, Arizona)

Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques (SALT) provides support for University of Arizona students with disabilities. SALT students receive advice on achieving personal and professional goals, one-on-one tutoring services as well as strategies to succeed in class. Group workshops teach students how to effectively take notes, curb procrastination and strengthen their communication skills. There are also psychological services and therapies for students in SALT dealing with depression, anxiety or stress.
Find out more about the University of Arizona's disability programs and services by visiting its website.
17. University of Ozarks

(Clarksville, Arkansas)

"Check out the Jones Learning Center at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas. I am the Coordinator of ASD Services here, and we have an incredible program," said Mighty community member Matthew E. "We are passionate about helping neurodiverse learners find social, academic and emotional success."

The University of the Ozarks has been ranked one of the " 50 Best Disability Friendly Colleges and Universities" in the country by College Choice. The school's Jones Learning Center is a support program that provides personalized academic support, guidance to adjust to college life and trained tutors for students with learning disabilities. There is a low student-to-staff ratio so each student receives individual attention and support. The university also provides programs and public events to help educate the community about disabilities.
If you're interested in learning more about the University of the Ozarks' disability programs and services, visit its website.
18. University of South Carolina

(Columbia, South Carolina)

CarolinaLIFE is a non-degree program for students with disabilities at the University of South Carolina. Courses in the program include subjects such as employment, personal finance and communication. While living on campus, students will also be coached on how to complete household chores, create a budget and cook healthy meals. In order to integrate students into college life, CarolinaLIFE students join other University of South Carolina students in classes, work study, sporting events, clubs and more.
Learn more about the University of South Carolina's disability programs and services on the school's website.
19. University of West Georgia

(Carrollton, Georgia)

Project WOLVES is a two-year program for disabled students at the University of West Georgia. Students in Project WOLVES participate in all the usual campus activities such as clubs and school events with peer mentors, who also help new WOLVES get adjusted to college. Each student is given an academic plan that aligns with their specific interests. Courses may include academic work, employment skills and tools for independent living. The program also puts a strong emphasis on socializing, volunteering and internship projects.
Find out more about the University of West Georgia's disability programs and services on its website.
20. Xavier University

(Cincinnati and Norwood, Ohio)

X-Path at Xavier University is geared toward students on the autism spectrum who have been accepted into a traditional degree program at the school and need accommodations. Students work with staff and peer coaches to smoothly integrate into college, succeed academically and become independent. In addition, Xavier has a service called ClockWorks, which gives access to disabled students for scheduling, organizing and planning accommodations such as note-taking assistance, needing a service or emotional support animal or exam accommodations.
If you're interested in learning more about Xavier University's disability programs and services, visit its website. Know of any other universities with amazing disability programs? Let us know in the comments! Update: This article has been updated to reflect the correct name of Southern Oregon University.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
20 Colleges With Great Programs for Students With Disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These are the university disability programs that The Mighty's community recommends for students choosing their college experience.

# data[].attributes.headline
Students with Disabilities in Higher Education: Facts and Statistics 

# data[].attributes.subject
Students with Disabilities in Higher Education: Facts and Statistics 

# data[].attributes.body
This resource provides facts and statistics on the enrollment of students with disabilities in higher education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Students with disabilities make up 19% of the undergraduate population. Find data about disability and inclusion on college campuses in our report.

Data Summary

12% of graduate students reported having a disability.Note Reference [1]

Trans and gender-nonconforming students report having autism at rates 5-8 times as high as cis students.Note Reference [2]

15-43% of students who report their disability don't receive accommodations from their school.Note Reference [4]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. (24.8%) has a disability. Despite how common disabilities are, society and institutions - like higher education - sometimes fail to provide adequate accommodations or truly inclusive spaces for all to participate equally.

College students with disabilities have a variety of experiences. This report shares statistics about students with disabilities in higher education to better understand the prevalence of disabilities and the state of disability inclusion on college campuses.

Students With Disabilities Make Up One-Fifth of College Enrollment

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 19% of undergraduate and 12% of graduate students reported having a disability in the 2015-2016 school year. Students' veteran status and age correlated to higher rates of reported disability. Note Reference [1]

26% of undergraduates who were veterans reported having a disability versus 19% of non-veteran undergraduates.

23% of undergraduates ages 30 and over reported having a disability versus 18% of students aged 15-23 years old.

NCES' count of students with disabilities includes those who reported being Deaf or hard of hearing; being blind or having low vision; having a learning disability; having a physical, mental, or emotional condition; or having difficulty walking or climbing stairs.

Common Disabilities Reported by College Students

In 2022, the American College Health Association (ACHA) surveyed 54,000 undergraduates. It found: Note Reference [2]

15% of students reported having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD or ADHD).

5% had a learning disability.

4% were blind or had low vision.

3% were autistic.

2% were Deaf or hard of hearing.

About 1% had a mobility or dexterity disability.

About 1% had a speech or language disability.

Though not reported here, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) also covers psychiatric disabilities, such as anxiety, addiction, and PTSD. You can learn more about the prevalence of these and other mental health conditions in our report, College Student Mental Health Statistics.

Did You Know...

Dyslexia is the most common learning disability.

According to The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity, dyslexia makes up 80-90% of all learning disabilities and affects 20% of the population.

College students with dyslexia may have difficulty reading, writing, spelling, or recalling words. However, dyslexia surfaces in many different ways, and not all students have the same experiences.

Students With Disabilities by Gender

Transgender and gender-nonconforming college students report experiencing disabilities at higher rates than their cisgender peers. Note Reference [2]

Trans and gender-nonconforming students are more than 5-8 times as likely as their cis peers to have autism (17% vs. 2-3%).

Trans and gender-nonconforming students are five times as likely as cis students to have a mobility or dexterity disability (5% vs. 1%).

Did You Know...

Disabilities are more prevalent among LGBTQ+ adults than in their cis, straight peers.

According to Census Bureau data analyzed by the Human Rights Campaign in 2022, 36% of LGBTQ+ adults reported having a disability versus 24% of non-LGBTQ+ adults. Additionally, 52% of trans adults reported having a disability.

It's important to recognize how overlapping identities affect how students experience inclusion - or don't. For example, a 2013 GLSEN study of over 8,000 students ages 13-21 found that LGBTQ+ students with disabilities were more likely than those without disabilities to be disciplined at school, involved with the justice system, or drop out.

Graduation Rates of Students With Disabilities

People with disabilities tend to graduate high school and college at lower rates than people without disabilities. However, the number of people with disabilities earning bachelor's degrees has increased substantially over the years.

High School Graduation

Among students served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act who left school in 2019-2020:

72% graduated with a diploma.

10% received an alternative certificate.

16% dropped out.

For reference, the high school graduation rate among all 18-24-year-olds was about 94% in 2019, according to NCES.

College Graduation

About half (49.5%) of students with disabilities who enrolled at a four-year college in 2011 completed a bachelor's degree within six years versus roughly 68% of students without disabilities. Note Reference [3]

According to the 2023 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium report analyzing U.S. census data:

Nearly 20% of 25-34-year-olds with a disability had a bachelor's degree or higher.

41% of 25-34-year-olds without a disability held a bachelor's degree or higher.

The percentage of people with disabilities earning a bachelor's degree doubled between 2008 and 2021.

What About After Graduating College?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is about double that for people without disabilities (7.6% vs. 3.5%).

The unemployment rate for people with disabilities drops with higher levels of education. Even so, bachelor's degree-holders with disabilities face higher unemployment rates than those without disabilities.

People with disabilities who are employed are more likely to be self-employed than people without disabilities (9.5% vs. 6.1%). They're also almost twice as likely to work part time, reports the BLS. (30% vs. 16%). Note Reference [12]

Disability, Financial Aid, and Student Loan Forgiveness

Like all students, students with disabilities can receive free financial aid for college, such as scholarships and grants. Sometimes, people with disabilities that impact their ability to work can qualify for student loan forgiveness.

Scholarships and Grants

NCES survey data from the 2015-2016 school year shows that college undergraduates with a disability report receiving similar levels of federal grant funding as other students. However, they receive less financial aid from their schools on average and less grant funding overall.

If you're planning to pay for college, you have options. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to see if you qualify for certain grants.

Also, check out our list of scholarships for students with disabilities. These scholarships are sponsored by various organizations and are specifically for students with different disabilities.

Disability Student Loan Forgiveness

If you have a disability that prevents you from working and you have student loan debt, you could qualify for loan forgiveness through a Total and Permanent Disability Discharge (TPD).

You could be eligible for a TPD if:

The Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded you a disability determination.

You receive Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income benefits.

A doctor certifies that you can't financially support yourself due to a serious, lasting condition.

Disability Inclusion on College Campuses

Colleges have work to do when it comes to access and inclusion for students with disabilities. Here's some of the latest research on disability inclusion in higher education.

Colleges Can Do Better When It Comes to Inclusion

In a peer-reviewed 2022 study, researchers graded 50 top-funded undergraduate programs on an A-F letter scale measuring accessibility, accommodations, and reputation for inclusion.

Just 6% received an A. Sixty percent received a D.

Students With Disabilities Report Less Belonging, More Discrimination on Campus

A 2021 research brief published by the National Center for College Students With Disabilities analyzed survey data from 54,000 students. The analysis showed that compared to peers without disabilities, students with disabilities had a significantly lower sense of belonging at their schools. They also reported higher rates of discrimination on campus.

Students who reported experiencing the most discrimination were students with speech, language, neurological, and learning conditions.

Most Students Don't Report Their Disability to Colleges

Department of Education (ED) research found that only 37% of students with a disability reported their disability to their college. Note Reference [4]

Additionally, a Mental Health America survey of 471 college students with mental health disabilities found that 70% didn't register for accommodations from their school. These students reported not believing they were sick enough (41%), not knowing accommodations existed (33%), and being afraid to talk to professors about accommodations (26%).

Many Don't Receive Accommodations

The same ED study as above found that even when students do report their disability, many don't receive accommodations. Just 85% of students at four-year colleges and 57% of students at two-year schools received accommodations after reporting their disability. Note Reference [4]

Students Recommend More Training, Education, and Outreach

Students in Mental Health America's survey suggested the following to improve accessibility for students with mental health disabilities: Note Reference [16]

Train professors about disability accommodations (73%).

Provide education and outreach about available disability support services (69%).

Dedicate staff to helping students remove financial barriers to registering for accommodations (58%).

Provide staff and peer supporters to students in the registration process (42%).

Did You Know...

...about the social model of disability?

The social model of disability is a framework for understanding disability. It holds that people's conditions aren't what make them disabled. Instead, society's conditions - like exclusion, ignorance, and lack of access - disable them.

Learn more about students' accessibility rights and resources in our College Guide for Students With Disabilities and in the section below.

Resources and Accommodations for College Students With Disabilities

We've designed several guides with resources for college students navigating accommodations at their colleges. Find them listed below. Then, learn how to register for accommodations through your school's disability services.

Sources

Table 311.10. Number and percentage distribution of students enrolled in postsecondary institutions, by level, disability status, and selected student characteristics: 2015-16. National Center for Education Statistics. May 2018. (back to content ⤶)

American College Health Association. American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment III: Undergraduate Student Reference Group Data Report Spring 2022 (PDF). Silver Spring, MD: American College Health Association. Spring 2022. (back to content ⤶)

Table: Bachelor's degree attainment at first institution through June 2017 by Disability. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Beginning Postsecondary Students: 2012/2017. Accessed March 2023. (back to content ⤶)

Use of Supports Among Students With Disabilities and Special Needs in College. National Center for Education Statistics at Institute of Education Sciences. April 2022. (back to content ⤶)

Disability and Health Data System. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. December 2022. (back to content ⤶)

Dyslexia FAQ. The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity. Accessed February 2023. (back to content ⤶)

Understanding Disability in the LGBTQ+ Community. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation. August 2022. (back to content ⤶)

Palmer, et al. Educational exclusion: Drop out, push out, and school-to-prison pipeline among LGBTQ youth. The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network. 2016. (back to content ⤶)

Table 219.90. Number and percentage distribution of 14- through 21-year-old students served under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B, who exited school, by exit reason, sex, race/ethnicity, age, and type of disability: 2018-19 and 2019-20. National Center for Education Statistics. February 2022. (back to content ⤶)

Table 219.67 High school completion rate of 18- to 24-year-olds not enrolled in high school (status completion rate), number of 18- to 24-year-olds not in high school, and number who are high school completers (status completers), by selected characteristics: Selected years, 2009 through 2019. National Center for Education Statistics. February 2021. (back to content ⤶)

Annual Report on People with Disabilities in America: 2023. Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics. January 2023. (back to content ⤶)

Persons with a Disability: Labor Force Characteristics. Bureau of Labor Statistics. February 2023. (back to content ⤶)

Average grant amounts by disability status (includes zeros). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Postsecondary Student Aid Study: 2016 Undergraduates. Accessed March 2023. (back to content ⤶)

Campanile, J. et al. Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Among Top-Funded U.S. Undergraduate Institutions. Published in PLOS ONE. November 2022. (back to content ⤶)

Soria, K. M. Supporting undergraduate students with disabilities: A focus on campus climate and sense of belonging (PDF). National Center for College Students with Disabilities. June 2021. (back to content ⤶)

Davis, K. Disability and Campus Mental Health. Mental Health America. October 2020. (back to content ⤶)

The Social Model of Disability. University of Minnesota Duluth. January 2017. (back to content ⤶)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Students with Disabilities in Higher Education: Facts and Statistics | BestColleges

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students with disabilities make up 19% of the undergraduate population. Find data about disability and inclusion on college campuses in our report.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Rights of College Students with Disabilities

# data[].attributes.subject
The Rights of College Students with Disabilities

# data[].attributes.body
The Rights of College Students with Disabilities
This fact sheet provides an overview of the rights of students with disabilities in college.

# data[].attributes.body
College students with disabilities are too often excluded
This article discusses the inclusion of students with disabilities in college programs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Colleges and universities have been challenged to create more inclusive environments for disabled students. Monkey Business Images/www.shutterstock.com

AnnCatherine Heigl, a sophomore at George Mason University, recently attempted to join all eight sororities at her school. All eight turned her down.

If you ask her sister, who Tweeted about how the experience left AnnCatherine "unwanted and devastated," the reason the sororities denied AnnCatherine is because she has a disability: Down syndrome.

This kind of outright rejection isn't the experience of all college students with disabilities. But AnnCatherine's experience is hardly an isolated case. Since colleges and universities only have so much control over student-run groups, it's important to consider how disability is viewed within the school community.

I'm a researcher who focuses on raising disability awareness in educational settings.

All students need to feel included in order to succeed in college. But when a student has a disability, inclusion can be more difficult to achieve. One study shows students with disabilities participate in fewer extracurricular activities, like clubs or on-campus events, than non-disabled peers. This is due to a lack of social inclusion, the study states. It also stems from the fact that many colleges and university programs "focus mostly on academic and physical accessibility." The social participation of students with disabilities gets less attention. Since many extracurricular activities are student led and organized, it's all the more important to understand how peers with disabilities are being excluded.

College students with disabilities are also more likely to drop out of school than their peers without disabilities. Research shows that only 34 percent of college students with disabilities complete a four year program. Conversely, 51 percent of their peers without disabilities finish school. This begs the question: How can colleges and universities become more inclusive?

Start early

First, teachers at the K-12 level need to develop skills to talk about disabilities. While educators might teach about topics like race, class, gender, or sexuality, disability is often left out of the discussion.

Ask yourself: How many books did you read in school that featured characters with disabilities? How much did you learn about the disability rights movement in your social studies classes? Or was it largely a hidden story?

Some educators have begun to recognize the importance of disability-based lessons. Still, I'd argue that those lessons need to be more deliberately incorporated in school.

By the time students enter college, they might hesitate to discuss disability because they are worried about saying the wrong thing. Awkwardness and avoidance can continue long after college.

Teachers can help by using literature to discuss disability in class. The mainstream success of R.J. Palacio's Wonder - a book about a boy born with a craniofacial disability - shows how this is possible.

Think about language

When people do talk about disability, they may default to " disability rhetoric." This sort of rhetoric casts people with disabilities as either inspirational or pitiable.

Ben Myers, an advocate for people with disabilities, explains the problem with disability rhetoric. When you say that a person can do something "despite" his or her disability, it sets disability up as something that strong people overcome and weaker ones live with. While rhetoric might seem harmless, this kind of speech furthers the idea that people with disabilities are incapable of success.

Inspiration-based language is problematic too. Colleges and universities should examine how disabilities are portrayed in their campus literature. They should also consider using language that reflects the reality of disability. Rather than glorify or pity a person with a disability, talk about them like they would anyone else. Recognize the person and don't focus on the disability.

Provide opportunities for inclusion

Many colleges and universities bring individuals with disabilities to campus through community service programs. Partnerships between college students and community members with disabilities often result in mutual learning. However, it is equally important for college organizations to enable students with disabilities to participate as equals. On-campus disability groups can increase disability awareness, promote inclusion and create opportunities for all students to engage in social activities.

At Villanova, where I teach, LEVEL, a student-run disability awareness group, provides opportunities for students to raise awareness and participate in fully accessible social activities on and off campus. Similarly, Disability Rights, Education, Activism, and Mentoring, or (DREAM), is a national organization that advocates for campus disability groups and individual students. Groups like LEVEL and DREAM show the way toward greater inclusion. For example, members of LEVEL recognized that "service break trips," where students travel and work together on a community service project, were not accessible to all students. In response, LEVEL organized the first fully accessible service break trip.

Make disability a part of diversity

Although many colleges and universities have embraced diversity initiatives, disability still gets short shrift.

For instance, in a recent study of the California State University System, researchers found that 66 percent of the websites had minimal information about disabilities on the home pages. Why does this matter? The home site is the "virtual face" of the university. It's how a university represents itself to prospective students and the public. The authors of the study argue that visible representations of disability are important to make students with disabilities feel "welcome on campus in the same way that images of racial or gender diversity are used to attract diverse applicants."

In a recent opinion piece, Rosemarie Garland Thomson, a disability justice leader and professor at Emory University, said that most people don't consider people with disabilities as having a shared social identity or a political status. Given how the disability community has struggled to earn basic civil rights, including access to education, employment, and healthcare, it is important to think about disability in terms of diversity.

How disability can be visible and invisible

After the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, colleges and universities had to rethink what accessibility looked like on campus. In many cases, this involved ensuring physical access to previously inaccessible spaces.

Recently, there has been a movement to map the accessibility of colleges and universities. At Penn, a graduate student and his colleagues developed the Accessibility Mapping Project. This project is a an effort to digitally map the "emergence of physical and social barriers" around campus. The project shows that a lack of physical access, such as having stairs instead of a ramp, also erects a social barrier, as people with disabilities can't participate in that space.

It's important to remember that disability isn't only physical. In fact, many college students with invisible disabilities, like learning disabilities or autism, still struggle to access appropriate accommodations in their university classrooms.

What AnnCatherine endured is something no individual should experience. While there is no simple solution to address the exclusion of students with disabilities in higher education, colleges, universities and K-12 schools need to do more to provide resources, education and experiences that include students with disabilities in the conversation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
College students with disabilities are too often excluded

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
AnnCatherine Heigl, a sophomore at George Mason University, recently attempted to join all eight sororities at her school. All eight turned her down. If you ask her sister, who Tweeted about how the experience left AnnCatherine "unwanted and devastated," the reason the sororities denied AnnCatherine is because she has a disability: Down syndrome.

# data[].attributes.body
For each of the past several years, a cohort of up to 16 Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) students with intellectual disabilities between the ages of 18 -22 has attended IUPUI via the IUPUI SITE Program.

Students under the age of 22 who plan to complete high school in nearby school corporations may apply for IUPUI-SITE in December of their final year.  Upon acceptance into the program, the student will enroll in IPS.

# data[].attributes.headline
Marion Community Schools - IMPACT Program

# data[].attributes.subject
Marion Community Schools - IMPACT Program

# data[].attributes.body
The IMPACT Program, a partnership between Grant County Special Education Cooperative and Indiana Wesleyan University, was created to give students with disabilities (ages 18-22) the opportunity to explore the world and life beyond the walls of their local high school.

# data[].attributes.body
AIM Academy is a transition program for 18-21 year old students with
intellectual disabilities who attend a high school that the Exceptional Children’s Co-op serves. AIM Academy is a partnership between the four Dubois County high schools, Exceptional Children’s Co-op, Southern Indiana Resource Solutions (SIRS), and Vincennes University Jasper (VUJ). AIM is funded by the individual school corporations. AIM provides the opportunity for students to continue
their education in a setting other than their high school to help ease the transition into adult life.
The focus of AIM Academy is to develop employability skills in order to prepare them for paid, competitive employment in the community. Students who attend AIM should have a strong desire to work and the family should be supportive of this goal.

# data[].attributes.body
The ABLE program at Huntington University is dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving inclusive higher education options for people with intellectual disabilities. The ABLE program works with young adults with intellectual disabilities in recognizing their strengths, interests, and preferences and provides them with a path to meet their long term self-driven personal and professional goals. In addition, the ABLE program is committed to supporting the education of the campus and community in understanding the potential of individuals with disabilities as full members of the workforce and community.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The ABLE program provides individuals with intellectual disabilities ages 18-24 with the opportunity to be part of a university campus. Students, both independently and with support from peers, attend/audit classes, work on campus, take supportive classes in understanding finances, social skill needs and independent living, and participate in extracurricular activities.

The program not only supports the students with disabilities, but provides an equally important opportunity for all typical students, faculty, and staff to more fully understand the potential of individuals with disabilities.

If you have questions about the ABLE Program, please contact Makayla James at mjames@huntington.edu or by calling (260) 359-4106.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Huntington University is a private, four-year, Christian school of the liberal arts in Indiana offering more than 70 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs.

# data[].attributes.body
University of Indianapolis BUILD program
Program information for The Baccalaureate for University of Indianapolis Learning Disabled (BUILD) program for UIndy students with learning-related disabilities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
About the University of Indianapolis BUILD program - University of Indianapolis

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Baccalaureate for University of Indianapolis Learning Disabled, or BUILD, program is a fee-for-service program that assists UIndy students who have specific learning disabilities earn a bachelor’s degree.

# data[].attributes.body
This Transition Specialist Competency fact sheet summarizes the competencies for Transition Specialists. This includes skills essential for collaboration.

# data[].attributes.body
College Navigator is a "free consumer information tool designed to help students, parents, high school counselors, and others get information about over 7,500 postsecondary institutions in the United States - such as programs offered, retention and graduation rates, prices, aid available, degrees awarded, campus safety, and accreditation."

# data[].attributes.body
This comprehensive resource covering college admissions, financial aid, educational options, and tips for surviving college.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Student's Reference to Paying for School & Getting the Most out of Their College Education

GoCollege.com is one of the oldest and most trusted resources to guide students on how to finance and succeed in college. For easier navigation of the site, the materials are divided into four major categories that most students experience when getting into college: exploring your options, the admission process, finding financial aid & succeeding in college.

Financial Aid

Undergraduate students who are planning to attend college for two or four years have many financing options when it comes to paying for their college education. The funds can come in the form of federal student loans, private loans, scholarships, Pell grants and other alternatives. GoCollege also offers one of the most comprehensive and unbiased information online on subsidized and unsubsidized college loans to help students make better financial decisions. Our Financial aid section offers a free search tool, along with step by step guides to help students discover what options will suit their needs.

Admissions

Preparing to enter college can be a daunting and time consuming task. The Admissions section offers comprehensive information on everything you need to get ready. Coverage includes SAT preparation and ACT test, submitting impressive applications to the colleges of choice, how to write compelling essays and more.

Education Options

There are more choices than ever to help you attain higher education. The section on Educational Options compares a variety of programs which includes public and private universities, community colleges, online degrees, trade/vocational schools.

College Survival

The College Survival category offers fun and valuable tips students can apply to help with the new responsibilities associated with being a college student. The section covers how to achieve, good grades, enjoying the college social scene, financial management, building credit score, studying tips, health and more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
GoCollege - The Number One College Bound Website on the Internet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
GoCollege.com is one of the oldest and most trusted resources to guide students on how to finance and succeed in college. For easier navigation of the site, the materials are divided into four major categories that most students experience when getting into college: exploring your options, the admission process, finding financial aid & succeeding in college.

# data[].attributes.body
Evidence-based practices and promising practices on collaborative strategies to improve students' transition outcomes.

# data[].attributes.body
Access the padlet website to learn how to develop padlet and technical assistance to answer questions.

# data[].attributes.body
Padlet Tutorial for Teachers

# data[].attributes.body
Padlet Tutorial for Teachers + 8 Ways to Use With Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Padlet Tutorial for Teachers + 8 Ways to Use With Students

# data[].attributes.body
Collaboration with educators, parents, employers, and other providers is essential to developing and providing quality pre-ets activities. Establishing and improving collaborative relationships and opportunities can be challenging. The resources below may assist in facilitating the necessary collaborative relationships.

# data[].attributes.body
Explore Work
A free website with lesson plans and student activities with career exploration and guidance.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Explore Work - Future planning for teens with disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome! If you are a teen who has a disability, you have choices and things to do to prepare for life after high school and becoming an adult. Just like every teen, this is a time of transition. You are preparing to be an adult, get a job, and become more independent.

We also now offer Teacher Account Subscriptions which will enable you to monitor and track the progress of a group of students you may be working with to complete Explore-Work training activities. Find out more about Teacher Accounts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome! If you are a teen who has a disability, you have choices and things to do to prepare for life after high school and becoming an adult. Just like every teen, this is a time of transition. You are preparing to be an adult, get a job, and become more independent.

# data[].attributes.body
T-Folio is an online e-portfolio program designed to guide youth in exploring, identifying, and planning for their desired post-school goals. This tool is organized by Pre-ETS topics and provides lesson plans and worksheets for Pre-ETS activities. The resources created by students must be downloaded - they are not saved on the website.

# data[].attributes.body
California Career Resource Network
This website offers multiple lessons plans designated to introduce students to a broad range of career readiness knowledge and skills, leading to the development of a personal career action plan for grades 5-12.

# data[].attributes.body
Fact Sheet on Characteristics of Interagency Collaboration

# data[].attributes.body
IRIS | Interagency Collaboration
An online module that provides evidence-based practices on interagency collaboration.
Interagency collaboration is a means to:

Coordinate services and supports

Identify and address gaps in services within the community

Share and leverage resources to reduce costs

Promote efficient service delivery

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Page 4: Interagency Collaboration

Recognizing that multiple individuals and agencies should be involved in transition planning is an important first step in addressing the transition needs of students with disabilities. Some of these can be met through informal supports (e.g., friends, peers), while others require formal supports (e.g., programs for people with disabilities). No one person or agency can meet the needs of all transitioning students; transition planning requires shared expertise and a wide range of services. These might include agencies that serve individuals with disabilities (e.g., vocational rehabilitation agencies) or those that serve all individuals (e.g., Social Security Administration). One role of the transition coordinator is to encourage representatives from outside agencies to participate in the transition planning process and interact with students, families, and others.

In the past, schools and agencies worked in isolation from each other, with the predictable result of uncoordinated services. In contrast, when agencies work collaboratively, they help create a bridge for students with disabilities from school to post-school activities and environments. Interagency collaboration is a process in which education professionals establish partnerships with personnel from multiple agencies to achieve a common goal: to improve the post-secondary success of students with disabilities. Interagency collaboration is a means to:

Coordinate services and supports

Identify and address gaps in services within the community

Share and leverage resources to reduce costs

Promote efficient service delivery

Listen as Mary Morningstar briefly defines interagency collaboration and who is typically involved in the process (time: 3:00).

Mary Morningstar, PhD
Associate Professor Special Education
Director of Transition Coalition
University of Kansas

Transcript: Mary Morningstar, PhD

Interagency collaboration takes on quite a lot of different definitions in terms of the big picture. In each school, the definition of interagency collaboration might look slightly different. But in general, it is a process whereby you carefully and purposely plan and design cross-agency, cross-program collaborative effort related to transition outcomes for youth. That's a definition that's been given within the research for what interagency collaboration means. Now, that certainly doesn't assist school practitioners to take it to the level they need for implementation. Many teachers serve different types of students. So if you're a teacher who's serving students with learning disabilities, their post-school outcomes and therefore their support needs once they're in the community and as adults are going to look different than teachers who are working with students with significant disabilities who may have long-term support needs. For those students and families, they would access different types of agencies and supports in the community.

So understanding how it operates in each community and for each teacher will look slightly different. But in general the process that would work for any teacher in any school district is first to identify the post-school outcomes, those measurable post-secondary goals that their students are interested in achieving, and then based on those outcomes to reach out and to go find the services and support that students would need in order to be successful in those post-secondary settings.

When we're thinking about interagency collaboration, the critical groups that need to be involved certainly includes school personnel, whether that's special ed teachers, transition coordinators, guidance counselors, school social workers. The folks that are engaged for all youth as they are exiting school and entering into their next phase, whether it's post-secondary education or employment. That's a critical piece of interagency collaboration. Families and students are also active and must be engaged in interagency collaboration themselves. They have very specific roles and responsibilities related to seeking out services and advocating for what they need from those service agencies.

And then the third and biggest, and that's the group that's most difficult to pin down. But those are those community organizations and agencies, both disability specific, for example vocational rehabilitation or agencies that are serving students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health centers with some of the disabilities specific organizations. It can also include non-disability organizations. For example, an employment agency that's serving anybody in the community, or tutoring at a community college that's not specific to disability tutoring. So when we think about the group that have to be engaged it cuts across those three big groups, school, family, student, and then the community. It also cuts across disability specific organizations and those that anybody can access whether you have a disability or not.

Research Shows

Interagency collaboration has been substantiated as a promising transition practice for several decades.
(Kohler, 1993; Landmark, Ju, & Zhang, 2010; Noonan, Morningstar, & Gaumer, 2008)

Interagency collaboration leads to more positive post-school outcomes, especially when students are linked with services prior to exiting high school.
(Test et al., 2009)

Building both formal and informal support networks during high-school using a person-centered approach has been shown to be associated with better post-school employment and education outcomes.
(Povenmire-Kirk et al., 2015)
person-centered approach
A method of transition planning in which the student's needs, strengths, and capacities determine the services he or she receives.

Interagency Teams

To create smooth transitions, it is important for school personnel and community representatives to work together to improve the post-secondary transition process and outcomes for students with disabilities. Doing so involves creating teams of people who meet with each other on issues related to these outcomes. These teams engage in interagency collaboration and might be organized at different levels (e.g., the school district, community, or state) and vary in number and how they divide responsibilities. These teams typically:

Include representatives from disability-related organizations, community agencies, and workplaces all of whom understand the needs of the community as a whole and the needs of individuals with disabilities specifically.

Share ideas, talents, and resources; determine how best to include students with disabilities in the community.

Help to identify gaps in services within the community and solutions to bridge these gaps. One useful tool is the Quality Indicators of Exemplary Transition Programs Survey-2. This online survey can be completed by community teams to evaluate gaps in programs and services.

These teams and the work they do are always evolving. In addition, each state or community varies in how they are organized or structured. There can be and often is some overlap in team members. Below is one example of how interagency collaborative teams might be organized.

IEP/Transition Team

Responsible for creating the individual student's individualized transition plan (ITP)

Members individually determined according to guidelines established by IDEA

Additional members comprise the team based on the individual needs of the student

Agency representatives providing direct services to the student may be a part of this team

Ensures active participation from students and parents regarding transition planning informs the process

Typically, works directly with student

School/Community Team

Links education and adult service providers

Involved in planning transition services at the community level (e.g., resource fairs)

Include a wide range of professional representatives from community organizations, as well as family members and students with disabilities

Typically, not directly involved with students

State Team

Establish, evaluate, and revise policy

Develop coordinated systems to reduce duplication, prevent gaps, and increase efficiency of services among agencies

Evaluate the success of state and local transition services

Leaders of public agencies (e.g., director of the Department of Health), legislators, parent representative, school representative, community rep (e.g., member of school/community team), representatives from disability organizations

Typically, not direct service personnel

Mary Morningstar discusses a model of interagency collaboration that includes the IEP team and a community transition team. Next, she offers some tips for new teachers or those beginning the interagency process.

Mary Morningstar, PhD
Associate Professor Special Education
Director of Transition Coalition
University of Kansas

Transcript: Mary Morningstar, PhD (audio #1)

When we talk about the teams needed for transition, certainly the IEP team is the team that is most focused on the student. Oftentimes, if there isn't a transition coordinator in a building, the teacher or the case manager for that student's IEP often by default falls into that role of having to know about outside agencies. It's written into the law that if students are already being served by an outside agency or it's expected they would be served then the IEP case manager is responsible for inviting those outside agencies to attend the IEP meeting.

The role of beginning the process of collaboration for any special education teacher who's involved with students during transition planning is important. But it really is focused on what's going on with that particular student, and because it's an IEP it's really only during the period of time when the student is engaged in school in special ed services. When we think about models of interagency collaboration, the model that I'm most familiar with that is used most often around the country and across multiple states is a community transition team. That is where school personnel and all of the outside agencies might come together to start the planning process for collaboration. It may be at the district level if it's a large district. It may be in a city or in a town. Or it could be at a county level or a regional level. This is particularly the case in more rural communities, where services are more spread out or they may only be offered in a regional location. Then you might have several districts joining a regional community transition team. But that is where you would bring all the outside agencies together. That's often where they start to network, because they have to know about and learn about each other. And then once they know about and learn about each other they can start identifying where the barriers are in their community to successfully transition. And then they can identify some of those barriers, and then as a team they work together to solve and come up with solutions that are more at the systems level. So that will be beneficial to all the students coming through transition. So those are the teams that are most common when we talk about how you start planning for interagency collaboration.

Transcript: Mary Morningstar, PhD (audio #2)

Interagency collaboration can feel really overwhelming. I often think of it as the jet lag for schools and for new teachers in particular, because when you're going through a teacher-education training program you are very focused on the skills you need to be successful with students. It's all about student growth and student support. We don't think about how teachers are engaged in facilitating the transition into adulthood. That's not typically at the forefront of teacher preparation programs. So it can be sort of a shocking experience for teachers as they come into this field of secondary education and then the transition to adulthood.

It's really not what you know about interagency in terms of all the different agencies. It's about who you know that has the best, most current information. I would think any new teacher needs to find out from their district who is the one that's responsible for putting together that comprehensive map or guidebook for transition, who knows about all those outside agencies. How can I then get information about those agencies and who at those agencies are my go-to person to ask questions? Even I cannot keep up with all the regulatory changes, new laws that impact those outside agencies. But I know my go-to people when I have questions. I can identify who I need to turn to. I think that's probably a really critical first step for any novice teacher coming into a district, particularly at the secondary level. If their district says there isn't anyone in our district that does it, and they're passionate enough to want to create something, my experience is social workers know more about outside agencies than any one particular school personnel. So developing a district level team, be sure to include social workers and guidance counselors as part of that team would be a great way to start launching this process.

David Test describes the CIRCLES Project, an experimental model utilizing multiple levels of interagency collaboration to help assure smooth transitions for students with disabilities (time: 3:56).

David Test, PhD
Professor of Special Education
University of North Carolina

Transcript: David Test, PhD

The Circles Project itself is an interagency collaboration model. It is different than most interagency collaboration models. First, there are three teams. The first is the more traditional interagency collaboration team, and that is a district-level team. That team can meet three to four times a year. It's made up of the bosses, the director of special ed, the director of VR, the director of mental health, the director of developmental disability services, people who can make changes to policies and procedures that need to be changed.

Many school systems have some sort of team like that community level team that meets a few times a year. What makes Circles different is the second level of team, which is the school-level team, and that team is made up of teachers, and VR counselors and case-managers, and people from the adult service agencies that would deal directly with students and families. Those meetings take place monthly. They can rotate across the school system. Different school systems do it different places. Some do it in different high schools each month, some do it at a central location, say a community college that is centrally located in their county, some do it at the education center if it's easier for transportation. Those meetings usually take place over a day.

They're made up of presentations by students. Usually, in a day you can get maybe ten students to come and present. The meeting starts with a review of what happened in the last meeting to make sure that students and families and the agencies connected as they were supposed to. When it's time for the students to start, the students make a brief presentation, about five minutes, often with a PowerPoint. Sometimes they'll use Voki or other Web 2.0 tools. It's a presentation about what their strengths are, where they still think they need some support, and what they like to do after school in terms of employment and education and independent living.

Once they finish their presentation, they sit down at the table with all these representatives from different agencies. The people from the agencies talk to them about their services and what supports they may be able to offer them. Often, with a student comes at least one family member. Sometimes it's moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents, sometimes friends. So sometimes it's an entourage, sometimes it's not. But they'll be part of this discussion. Then by the end of the meeting the student and their family leave the meeting with a to-do list. Here are the agencies that you should talk to or connect with for employment. Here are the ones if you're interested in apartment living. So they've met the people, they've begun to talk about and know what services and supports are available for them once they leave high school.

So what the school system does with that information, they take that information back to the IEP team, which is the third team. That information can be put into the student's IEP. The adult service people don't have to come to the IEP meetings, since they've already signed off unless something changes. The adult service folks, typically, they'll be invited to all these IEP meetings. They don't have time to sit through that many meetings, and so by going to one meeting a month they can get the information they need for their services, but also that information can get into the IEPs for students. It's a lot more time-efficient in terms of getting interagency collaboration. The Circles Project had been implemented in the Cleveland county schools in North Carolina for years and was very successful in terms of building interagency collaboration.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
IRIS | Page 4: Interagency Collaboration

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Recognizing that multiple individuals and agencies should be involved in transition planning is an important first step in addressing the transition needs of students with disabilities. Some of these can be met through informal supports (e.g., friends, peers), while others require formal supports (e.g., programs for people with disabilities).

# data[].attributes.body
Collaboration: Partnering With Colleagues, Families, and Caregivers to Promote Student Success - NCLD
Collaboration is an effective tool that allows general educators, special educators, learning specialists, administrators, and other stakeholders to work together to meet the needs of students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Collaboration: Partnering With Colleagues, Families, and Caregivers to Promote Student Success - NCLD

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Collaboration is an effective tool that allows general educators, special educators, learning specialists, administrators, and others to work together to meet the needs of students. It is particularly important to sustain inclusive settings.

# data[].attributes.body
Collaboration: Definition, Examples & Tips
This article covers:

The definition of collaboration

Types of collaboration in business

Successful collaboration examples

Tips for collaboration

Collaboration skills

# data[].attributes.body
Collaboration Skills: Definition and Examples
This article describes the skills and strategies needed to improve collaboration skills.
Key takeaways:

Collaboration skills can help you work well with others.

Working as a team can help increase productivity and develop healthy relationships between employees.

Sharing ideas and brainstorming helps develop unique solutions.

# data[].attributes.body
This document provides key preparation skills and tips for informational interviews.

# data[].attributes.body
This resource provides common questions students may ask on a worksite tour or during informational interviews.

# data[].attributes.headline
Work-based Learning for Students with High Support Needs

# data[].attributes.subject
Work-based Learning for Students with High Support Needs

# data[].attributes.body
Work-based learning for students with high support needs: An article that includes evidence-based practice and recommendations for age-appropriate activities across elementary - secondary education.

# data[].attributes.body
This pictorial inventory allows students to identify preferences for occupations based on tasks. Students' responses can be a springboard to identifying careers that align with the students' interests.

# data[].attributes.body
Discover Your Career Options | Learn More Indiana
Multiple career exploration resources free for any Hoosier.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Discover Your Career Options | Learn More Indiana

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
One of the biggest benefits of a college education is that it can help you get the career you want. In this section, see which careers might be right for you and the education you’ll need to get those careers. The good news is that you don’t have to have everything figured out right now. […]

# data[].attributes.body
Transition Assessment Matrix sorts online interest inventories based on on a students postsecondary goal, disability, and age.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Transition Assessment Matrix: Transition Resources: Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center: Indiana University Bloomington

# data[].attributes.body
This article identifies the Charting the LifeCourse™ framework and how these tools can be used in your own life, for your family members or in your work.

Use Charting the LifeCourse to:

Learn more about yourself, and set your goals and vision for your best life.

Plan the best life with your child at any age. See Charting the LifeCourse tools for families.

Problem-solve and build a plan for a specific goal like employment, housing or healthy living.

Organize your thoughts and speak up for what you want.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Disability Hub MN - Charting the LifeCourse™

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Charting the LifeCourse™ framework and tools provide guides for any stage of life. Learn more about yourself, problem-solve and build a plan.

# data[].attributes.body
The I'm Determined Project focuses on providing direct instruction, models, and opportunities to practice skills associated with self-determined behavior. This website offers individuals the tools and support to set goals, be heard, and to take control of their lives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The I’m Determined project, a state directed project funded by the Virginia Department of Education, focuses on providing direct instruction, models, and opportunities to practice skills associated with self-determined behavior.

# data[].attributes.headline
Transition Planning Tips for CLD Youth with Disabilities

# data[].attributes.subject
Transition Planning Tips for CLD Youth with Disabilities

# data[].attributes.body
Transition Planning Tips for Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Youth with Disabilities
This article identifies transition planning tips for linguistically and culturally diverse you with disabilities

# data[].attributes.body
This article summarizes the importance of developing the knowledge, skills, and values to provide culturally responsive transition planning to youth and family from any background

# data[].attributes.body
Four Ways Teachers Can Reduce Implicit Bias
This article discussed implicit bias and strategies for reducing in the classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A friend of mine recently told me about an incident involving students at Berkeley High School. On the first day of classes, African-American juniors and seniors were being asked by their honors course teacher to show him their schedule when they entered the classroom. The teacher, who was white, apparently assumed the black students were lost and in the wrong room, and his gesture made them feel unwelcome and humiliated.

This is an example of implicit bias-a behavior that arises from subconscious associations, which may even contradict someone's explicit values. Implicit racial bias plays a role in many classrooms and schools with potentially devastating effects. In one recent experiment with preschool teachers, researchers found that when teachers were primed to look for behavioral problems while watching a classroom video with black and white children (none of whom were misbehaving), teachers gazed much longer at black children than white children, as if anticipating the behavioral problems would come from the black children.

In another experiment from the same study, teachers read a vignette about a behavioral problem with a preschooler randomly identified as a black boy, black girl, white boy, or white girl, and then were given details about the child's background or not. Providing the background information on the child increased the severity of suggested disciplinary actions when the race of the teacher didn't match that of the child, supporting the idea that we are more inclined to punish those who look different from us.

In fact, disciplinary actions are more likely to be perpetuated against African Americans-boys and girls alike-than any other group of students, regardless of the infraction. And while it's understandable that teachers would want to prevent disruptions in the classrooms and take actions to avoid them, some seem to have little idea of how to do that without turning to ingrained biases.

Of course, teachers are not alone in having racial biases. Their behavior reflects how social messages are hard to escape, even for people of color. But studies like these show how racial disparities can be perpetuated in classrooms, too. If left unchecked, this kind of biased treatment can haunt a student well into elementary school and beyond, making the promise of "schools as the great social equalizers" a false one.

The good news is that teachers can learn to combat their prejudice, even the implicit kind, if they become more aware of it and take steps to actively fight it in themselves. Here are some of the ways that might help educators treat all of their students with dignity and care.

1. Cultivate awareness of their biases

Teachers are human and therefore influenced by psychological biases, like the fundamental attribution error, when we assume that others who behave in a certain way do so because of their character (a fixed trait) rather than in response to environmental circumstances. In-group bias leads us to assign positive characteristics and motivations to people who are similar to us.

Biases like these are natural, used as cognitive shorthand for making quick social judgments in ambiguous situations, especially those involving people from unfamiliar ethnic or social groups. They become a problem when we're not aware of their impact on other people. And if we're part of a majority group with more social, economic, or political power than a minority one, then accumulated unconscious bias can be extremely destructive, limiting the life opportunities and hurting the well-being of the minority group.

Many researchers believe that becoming more aware of our biases can help us improve our interactions with others, decrease our sense of unease in interracial contexts, and make better decisions. Though most of this research has been done with other professional groups or the general public, the same lessons are likely to apply to teachers.

However, many teachers feel pressures not to cop to those biases, perhaps out of fear they will be accused of racism. This leaves them blind to the ways that biases work at an unconscious level. Pretending to be colorblind is not helpful and in fact adhering to a color-blind philosophy has been shown to increase implicit bias, at least in college students. Admitting that we are all subject to biases creates a safer space to examine them more carefully and to take steps to fight them.

2. Work to increase empathy and empathic communication

Empathy -the ability to understand another's perspective and emotions-is important in all human social encounters, including teaching. Yet, often teachers have little understanding of the communities where their students live and have trouble understanding their perspectives, leading them to treat these students more harshly.

One solution: learning about the lives of students and showing that you care. At least one study has found that actively trying to take the perspective of another person-as opposed to trying to be "objective"-increased one's ability to not fall prey to stereotypical views of others. Actively inducing empathy for another person has been tied to a willingness to consider environmental circumstances more closely when handing out punishments for misbehavior. And, one recent study has found that training teachers in empathy cut down student suspension rates in half.

Though perhaps more research has been done on empathy in other professionals (such as physicians and police officers), teachers may want to take note of the ways that they have learned to increase their empathy through a combination of stress reduction, learning how to manage difficult emotions, and practicing empathic communication. Treating students with kindness and consideration is a sure way to bring out kindness in them, too.

3. Practice mindfulness and loving-kindness

Mindfulness practices-such as paying attention in a nonjudgmental way to one's breath or other sensations-has been shown to decrease stress in teachers, which can indirectly have an effect on reducing bias. But according to some research, mindfulness may also have a direct effect on bias reduction as well.

In one study, young white participants who listened to a 10-minute audiotape with instructions in mindfulness showed less implicit bias towards blacks and older people than those who listened to a 10-minute discussion of nature. This suggests that nonjudgmental awareness, even when not specifically focused on reducing prejudice, can help reduce unconscious biases.

Loving-kindness meditation-a practice that involves consciously sending out compassionate thoughts toward others-may also help. In a recent study, the random assignment of a short-term loving-kindness meditation reduced implicit bias toward a targeted group, though it didn't decrease implicit bias for other groups not targeted by the meditation.

4. Develop cross-group friendships in their own lives

While it's important to take steps in the classroom, the relationships we form outside of the classroom can also have an impact on bias.

Cross-group friendships have been shown in several studies to decrease stress in intergroup situations, to decrease prejudice toward outgroup members, and to decrease one's preference for social hierarchy or domination over lower-status groups. These findings alone might encourage teachers to seek out cross-group friendships in their lives so that they can be more receptive to the diverse students they find in their classrooms.

Another reason for teachers to consider developing cross-group friendships is that they may influence their students to do the same. When people see cross-group friendships working out in positive ways, they tend to be more willing to engage in cross-group friendships themselves.

In addition, positive cross-group friendships can have contagion effects in other people within social groups, turning whole communities into warmer, more receptive spaces for cross-group interactions. All of this bodes well for teachers role-modeling the kind of behavior they want to see in their students.

Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean teachers should indiscriminately approach someone just because they are from a different racial group. Instead, teachers can reach out to colleagues at work, or get involved in activities or perhaps attend events where people with different backgrounds and perspectives come together for a common cause. Developing friendships can be one of the best ways to break down barriers of prejudice, and it's more easily done when people have some common interests.

Is this a lot to ask, given all the burdens our society heaps on teachers? Perhaps. Teachers should get more support than they do, and, ideally, school districts should make reducing implicit bias a priority backed up with money, policy, and training. Individual teachers can only do so much.

Luckily, the teaching profession tends to attract altruists who want to teach in a way that helps their students. By working at countering implicit bias in themselves, they can truly make a difference in the lives of their students, making them feel safe, cared for, and welcome in the classroom.

Greater Good wants to know: Do you think this article will influence your opinions or behavior?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Four Ways Teachers Can Reduce Implicit Bias

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We're all subject to bias. Here are tips to help teachers treat all of their students with dignity and care.

# data[].attributes.body
Counseling on postsecondary opportunities includes:

Gaining awareness of career pathways

Promoting participation in postsecondary education transition programs

Attending college fairs and tours

Accessing services and supports from agencies that assist peoples with disabilities entering post-secondary transition programs

# data[].attributes.body
Job exploration counseling includes:

Discussing students’ vocational interests

Reviewing of local labor market and in-demand industries and occupations

Exploring Non-traditional employment options

Identifying career pathways of interest to the students

# data[].attributes.body
Learn financial literacy through football.  In Financial Football, each lesson module includes:

A narrative overview of the concepts to be taught.

Defined goals and objectives that describe the expected learning outcomes of the module.

The Teaching Notes feature, which consists of the primary material on which module concepts are based

The practice of applying learned concepts through the discussion of concrete examples

Group or individual written exercises to test students knowledge of learned concepts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Visa and the National Football League have teamed up to help teach financial concepts with Financial Football, a fast-paced, interactive game that engages students while teaching them money management skills. The fall 2018 release includes new 3D graphics and game changing opportunities with audibles, blitzes and game breaking plays.

# data[].attributes.body
Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disability (TPSID) provides grants to institutions of higher education to enable them to create or expand high quality, inclusive model comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disability, or TPSID, are model demonstration projects funded by the US Department of Education. Through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process, grants are awarded to institutions of higher education or consortia of institutions of higher education to enable them to create or expand high quality, inclusive model comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities. The first round of TPSID funding was from October 2010 - September 2015. There were a total of 27 grantees at that time who worked with a total of 52 campuses across the United States. In October 2015, a second cohort of twenty five grantees with a total of 59 campuses were funded for a five year period, through September 2020. In October, 2020, the third cohort was funded, with a total of 22 grantees in 16 states.
TPSID projects establish model programs that:
Serve students with intellectual disabilities

Provide individual supports and services for the academic and social inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities in academic courses, extracurricular activities, and other aspects of the institution of higher education

Partner with one or more local educational agencies to support students who are still eligible for special education and related services under IDEA

Plan for the sustainability of the model program after the end of the grant period; and

Offer a meaningful credential for students upon the completion of the model program

Students with intellectual disabilities participating in these model programs are provided experiences focusing on academic enrichment; socialization; independent living skills, including self-advocacy skills; and integrated work experiences and career skills that lead to employment. Person-centered planning is used as the foundation in the development of the course of study for each student.
TPSID 2020-2025 Grantees with Principal Investigator contact information TPSID 2015-2020 Grantees, with Principal Investigator contact information TPSID 2010-2015 Grantees, with Principal Investigator contact information
TPSID 2020-2025 Projects At A Glance
Abstracts for all 2020-2025 funded TPSID Projects (PDF)
ALABAMA

ARIZONA

CALIFORNIA

HAWAII

Kauai, Windward, Maui, Honolulu, Leeward, Kapiolani Community Colleges

ILLINOIS

MICHIGAN

MISSOURI

NORTH DAKOTA

Bismarck State College

Dakota College at Bottineau

NEW HAMPSHIRE

NEW JERSEY

PENNSYLVANIA

SOUTH CAROLINA

TENNESSEE

TEXAS

UTAH

WASHINGTON STATE
Washington State University

TPSID 2015-2020 Projects At A Glance

ALABAMA

Jacksonville State University
University of Alabama University of South Alabama
CALIFORNIA
Fresno State
COLORADO
Colorado State University
FLORIDA

University of Central Florida (consortium lead)

Florida State College at Jacksonville

Florida International University

Atlantic Technical College

Indian River State College

McFatter Technical College

Tallahassee Community College

GEORGIA

Georgia State University (consortium lead)

Albany Technical College

Columbus State University

East Georgia State

University of Georgia

Georgia Southern University

University of West Georgia

HAWAII
University of Hawaii
KANSAS
University of Kansas
MISSOURI

University of Missouri Kansas City

NEW JERSEY
Bergen Community College
The College of New Jersey (partner site)

NEW YORK
University of Rochester (consortium lead) Borough of Manhattan Community College
College of Staten Island

Hostos Community College

Kingsborough Community College

Queens College
Syracuse University
NORTH CAROLINA
Appalachian State University
NORTH DAKOTA
Minot State University
OHIO

Ohio State University (consortium lead)

Marietta College

University of Cincinnati

University of Toledo

Youngstown State University

OREGON
Portland State University
PENNSYLVANIA

Millersville University (consortium lead)

Mercyhurst University

Penn State Harrisburg

Gwynedd Mercy University

West Chester University

Widener University

Temple University

Arcadia University

Lehigh Carbon Community College

RHODE ISLAND

Rhode Island College

TENNESSEE
Lipscomb University University of Memphis Vanderbilt University
UTAH
Utah State University
WASHINGTON STATE
Highline College
Spokane Community College

TPSID 2010-2015 PROJECTS

ALASKA

University of Alaska Anchorage

ARIZONA

University of Arizona

CALIFORNIA

University of California Los Angeles

Taft College

California State University Fresno

COLORADO

Colorado State University

DELAWARE

University of Delaware

FLORIDA

University of South Florida St. Petersburg

HAWAII

University of Hawaii

INDIANA

Indiana University

IOWA

University of Iowa

KENTUCKY

University of Kentucky

LOUISIANA

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center

MINNESOTA

Central Lakes College

NEW YORK

University of Rochester

NEW JERSEY

Bergen Community College

The College of New Jersey

NORTH CAROLINA

Western Carolina University

NORTH DAKOTA

Minot State University

OHIO

The Ohio State University

Kent State University

SOUTH CAROLINA

College of Charleston

TENNESSEE

University of Tennessee

TEXAS

Houston Community College

VERMONT

University of Vermont

VIRGINIA

Virginia Commonwealth University

WASHINGTON STATE

HIghline Community College

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disability, or TPSID, are model demonstration projects funded by the US Department of Education. View a list of all current and past TPSIDs.

# data[].attributes.body
Azure Activity Directory - How to Complete Your Pre-ETS Vendor Portal Registration
This document explains how to register for your Pre-ETS vendor portal

# data[].attributes.body
The Pre-ETS vendor portal cheat sheet provides an abbreviated version of the instructions for entering required Pre-ETS data into the Pre-ETS vendor portal.

# data[].attributes.body
Pre-ETS vendor portal guide provides an overview and instructions for entering required Pre-ETS data into the Pre-ETS Vendor portal.

# data[].attributes.body
This website provides an overview of non-traditional career paths based on gender.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
With the fourth wave of feminism blazing ahead at full speed and more and more research surfacing that touts the benefits of a diverse workforce, gender equality has been a hot topic lately, and it shows no signs of stopping.

This means many employers are making a more concerted effort to hire equal numbers of women and men - particularly in jobs and industries that have been dominated by one gender in the past.

These occupations with lopsided representation are deemed nontraditional occupations by the Department of Labor if its workforce comprises less than 25 percent of one gender, and they could be interesting avenues of employment to explore as employers try to achieve gender parity.

In short, if you're currently looking for a job, being a nontraditional applicant could give you an edge in this competitive job market. Here are a few nontraditional careers for women and jobs for men to think about.

Nontraditional Careers for Women

Whether you're looking for a career change or are just interested in exploring additional opportunities outside your current field, here's a list of some of the top nontraditional careers for women.

Heavy equipment operator. Heavy equipment operators use machines like bulldozers and backhoes to move materials and excavate sites for building. If you're interested in a job in this field, a detailed heavy equipment operator resume is a must.

Automotive technician. Mechanics work on vehicles doing preventive maintenance, such as flushing fluids and replacing rotors, as well as repairing and replacing parts damaged from accidents or just regular wear and tear. A specialized automotive technician resume can help you stand out from other applicants during your job search.

Electrician. Electricians are responsible for installing, maintaining and repairing power and lighting systems. If you're looking to begin a career as an electrician, you can use one of our electrician resume examples to get started.

Welder. As a welder, you will be tasked with putting metal structures together via welds as well as maintenance and repair work for metal equipment. A solid welding resume highlights your applicable skills and education to show you're a good fit for the job.

Firefighter. Whether they're on a volunteer basis or officially employed by the city, firefighters must respond and help deal with many scenarios, including fires, car accidents, and other emergency situations. Use our firefighter resume to help you put your best foot forward during the job application process.

Engineer. This job can include anything from mechanical engineering to civil engineering. Normal duties depend on the specific category but usually include researching, creating, and evaluating complex systems. If a job in engineering sounds right for you, using our engineer resume example can help.

Police officer. Police officers are important members of the community who patrol neighborhoods, respond to emergency calls, and work to ensure the safety of law-abiding citizens. Our police officer resume example can help you see how to present your skills and experience in the best light.

Computer technicians. Computer technicians can work as developers and programmers for small businesses or troubleshooters for internal and client-facing systems. If you're interested in a job working with computers and technology, you can get started by looking at our computer technician resume example.

Nontraditional Careers for Men

Nontraditional careers for men include any job where at least 75 percent of the workforce is female. Here are a few selections from the Department of Labor's list of nontraditional careers for men.

Early education teachers. Kindergarten and preschool teachers are responsible for attending to the physical, emotional, and academic needs of children ages 18 months to 6 years old. If you think a career involving children is something you'd be interested in, this example of a teacher resume can help you get started.

Dental assistant. A normal working day for a dental assistant might include examining and prepping patients and assisting with dental procedures. If you're ready to start a career in dentistry, looking at examples of dental assistant resumes can help.

Occupational therapist. Occupational therapists assess and implement treatment plans for patients who need help with daily living skills. For this job, you'll need an occupational therapist resume that shows your education, licensing, and prior experience working with patients.

Registered nurse. Nurses provide the majority of the patient care during hospital stays and are responsible for treating patients, working with the attending doctors. Before you begin the application process, check out our example of a great nurse resume.

Cleaning professional. Cleaners can work in either residential or commercial settings, and normal job duties include dusting, mopping, and disinfecting surfaces and floors. To get started in this field, you'll want a cleaning professional resume that highlights skills like dependability and attention to detail.

Paralegal. A paralegal is a trained legal professional whose main job responsibility is to handle the paperwork and daily tasks for the lawyer they work for. Take a look at our paralegal resume to see how you can create an attention-grabbing job application.

Massage therapist. Massages can be for both relaxation and physical benefit, and licensed massage therapists often have specialized in things like myofascial release and Shiatsu massage. A great massage therapist resume puts your credentials and experiences front and center.

Social worker. Social workers focus on ensuring that at-risk populations, such as children and the elderly, are being well taken care of and have their needs met. If you're interested in a career in helping people, our social worker resume can give you tips on presentation.

When you find a job you're interested in, the first step is to create or tailor your resume to present yourself as the best candidate for the position. Looking at examples of resumes and cover letters is one way to make sure you're covering all of the important points and positioning yourself as a short-list applicant.

More Non-Traditional Career Paths for Women

Airline Pilots

Announcer

Architects

Auctioneers

Bellhops and Porters

Carpenters/Construction Workers

Chefs and Head Cooks

Clergy

Dentists

Electricians

Engineers

Film Directors

Firefighters

Fishers, Hunters, Trappers

Funeral Directors

Garbage/Waste Collectors

Groundskeepers and Gardeners

Hospital Administrators

Logging Workers

Machinists

Mail Carriers

Mathematicians

Mechanics

Meter Readers

Optometrists

Parking Lot Attendants

Pest Control Specialists

Printing Press Operators

Scientists and Science Teachers

Security Guards

Security and Fire System Installers

Service Station Attendants

Taxicab Drivers and Chauffeurs

Tow Truck Operators

Truck Drivers

Welders

Non-Traditional Career Paths for Men

Bank Tellers

Bookkeepers

Cashiers

Child Care Workers

Clerical/Administrative Support Workers

Cosmetologists

Court Reporters

Dental Assistants and Hygienists

Elementary and Middle School Teachers

Flight Attendants

Hair Stylists

Home Health Aides

Hotel Clerks

Librarians

Maids and Housekeepers

Nurses

Occupational and Physical Therapists

Receptionists

Secretaries

Sewing Machine Operators

Social Workers

Speech pathologists

Teacher Assistants

Sources Want to get started in one of these exciting fields? Get your resume and cover letter in order by using these helpful resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Non-Traditional Career Paths for Men and Women | LiveCareer

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
With the fourth wave of feminism blazing ahead at full speed and more and more research surfacing that touts the benefits of a diverse workforce, gender equality has been a hot topic lately, and it shows no signs of stopping.

# data[].attributes.body
This questionnaire allows students to begin thinking about their work attitude and decisions. These questions could be used as conversation prompts in group discussions or for individual student reflections.

# data[].attributes.body
Self-advocacy Training includes topics such as:

Self-awareness,

Disclosure of disability, and

Knowing individual rights and responsibilities

# data[].attributes.body
Workplace readiness includes training on:

Communication,

Problem solving, and other

Social and interpersonal skills, and

Independent living skills.

# data[].attributes.body
This website provides resources on available apprenticeships. Apprenticeship.gov is the one-stop source to connect job seekers, employers, and education partners with apprenticeship resources.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Through a Registered Apprenticeship program, you can obtain paid, relevant workplace experience while acquiring the skills and credentials that employer's value. 90% of apprentices who complete an apprenticeship retain employment, with an average annual salary of $80,000. Learn more about the benefits of Registered Apprenticeship for career seekers and prospective apprentices.

Watch the video to the right to see three apprentices - Ana Figueroa (Philadelphia Glaziers Local 252), Gabrielle Wessells (Philadelphia IBEW Local 98) and Darius Gainey (Baltimore Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 486), weigh in on the best reasons to do an apprenticeship.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
With Apprenticeship.gov, you have a one stop source to find apprenticeship opportunities and learn about apprenticeship and its benefits.

# data[].attributes.body
Work-based learning experiences include:

Apprenticeships and job shadowing

Paid and non-paid internships and/or work experiences

Informational interviews o Volunteering

# data[].attributes.body
Counseling on postsecondary opportunities includes:

Gaining awareness of career pathways

Promoting participation in postsecondary education

Attending college fairs and tours

Accessing services and supports from agencies that assist peoples with disabilities

# data[].attributes.body
Job exploration counseling includes:

Discussing students’ vocational interests

Reviewing of local labor market and in-demand industries and occupations

Exploring Non-traditional employment options

Identifying career pathways of interest to the students

# data[].attributes.body
The FDIC provides online interactive games to help students learn about money and improve their financial literacy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is an independent agency created by the Congress to maintain stability and public confidence in the nation's financial system. Learn about the FDIC's mission, leadership, history, career opportunities, and more.

# data[].attributes.body
This list of items helps students, parents, and instructors assess their workplace readiness to succeed in a job.

# data[].attributes.body
This website offers videos of college campuses in the US and Canada. 100+ full 360° college campus tour videos are available for free on YouTube

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We survive off of shares and retweets! Show your support by subscribing, sharing, and retweeting the links below:

Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/c/theartofcollege
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/ftvyu3/i_visited_100_top_colleges_360_campus_tour_videos/
Twitter (please retweet us!): twitter.com/theartofcollege

Did you really visit all these schools on your own?
Yes I actually went to each of these schools and filmed, curated all the facts and stats, and personally made each video. You'd be amazed what you can accomplish if you just chip at it a little every day.

Why is rank trend important?
You'll notice on the bottom of each video there is the school's 2010, 2015, and 2020 USNews rank. This is because the trend of a school's rank tells you more than that year's rank. Research into the USNews rankings tells us that +/- 4 in rank from one year to the next is statistical noise, so don't get caught up in the specifics. However if a school is getting higher in rank from 5 years ago, 10 years ago, that's probably a sign they're consistently improving. You want your college to be ranked high even 5, 10 years after you've graduated, and the rank trend tells you that.

What do you think is the most important metric when picking a school?
I feel the boy/girl ratio is one of the most underrated stats and needs to be considered. It is the #1 factor that impacts your college experience day in/day out. You won't necessarily feel how different a rank 30 is from a rank 60 school, but you will definitely feel when a campus is 30% female vs 60% female. I went to GT when there were only 25% women, and let's just say it was miserable on campus. When the ratio is that skewed, the rarer sex tends to be much more proud, and the guys had to make inroads at Emory and Agnes Scott to have any female contact (it didn't help that my group of friends weren't the smoothest engineers you've ever seen).
How else can we support you?
The second most under-rated stat is the acceptance rate. If you plot acceptance rate against boy/girl ratio, you'll find an interesting quadrant, where the party schools are high female high acceptance rate, and the dreary ones are the low female low acceptance ones. But that's probably where the ladies want to go if a M.R.S. degree is a potential option.

The 360° camera I used:
If you're in the market for a 360° camera or college guide books, please click through the links below so we can get a commission directly from Amazon for the referral! We appreciate it!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
100+ full 360° college campus tour videos, free on Youtube

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We survive off of shares and retweets! Show your support by subscribing, sharing, and retweeting the links below: Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/c/theartofcollege Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/ftvyu3/i_visited_100_top_colleges_360_campus_tour_videos/ Twitter (please retweet us!): twitter.com/theartofcollege Did you really visit all these schools on your own? Yes I actually went to each of these schools and filmed, curated all the facts and stats, and personally made each video.

# data[].attributes.body
CampusReel - Find Your Best College with 17,000 Student Videos
This website allows students to explore colleges by watching videos of campus and campus life. Campus Reel has resources available for students & families and for schools, including information about financial aid.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Unlock a new dimension in college search with CampusReel, a platform that brings real experiences from real students right to your fingertips. Get an unfiltered look into the day-to-day life, culture, and dynamics of campuses across the nation, helping you find the best fit for your educational journey.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
CampusReel - Find Your Best College with 17,000 Student Videos

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A video and VR platform to help you find your dream school. Virtually tour hundreds of college campuses with more than 8,000 real, authentic videos.

# data[].attributes.body
College Advice For Students With A 504 Plan
This short online resource provides an overview of college accommodations through the 504 plan and how it is different from a secondary IEP.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Find out how to get your 504 plan accommodations in college.

What is a 504 plan?

A 504 plan comes from Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which outlaws excluding people with disabilities from the opportunity to participate equally in federally funded activities, including college.

Section 504 seeks to equalize opportunities for students with a disability, who may be otherwise inhibited from performing at the same level as fellow students. The term "disability" refers to a physical or mental impairment that may hinder a person's ability to perform major life activities.

How is a 504 different from an IEP?

A 504 plan differs from an individualized educational program (IEP), in that only certain types of disabilities qualify for an IEP, but many that require assistance (and don't qualify for an IEP) are eligible for a 504 plan.

A 504 can include physical hindrances, such as injuries, diseases, allergies or asthma. It can also include blood sugar monitoring for diabetics or even a gluten-free lunch option.

A 504 can also apply to learning problems, such as ADD, and include educational aids such as a note taker. Remember, a student with a 504 plan is not in "special education," the aim of a 504 is to empower a student to perform at the same level as his or her peers.

A 504 plan covers students through high school, but the requirements of post-secondary institutions are different. If you are planning on applying for a 504 plan in college, you will have more responsibility than in high school. Your parents may not be very involved in the process, and you will need to be prepared to advocate for your own needs.

504 Plans in College: Tips and Tactics

While a high school is required to identify your requirements and provide free appropriate public education to meet them, a post-secondary institution is not required to waive or change academic requirements. However, colleges cannot discriminate on the basis of disability, and must provide the necessary adjustments for you to function academically. This includes housing for students with disabilities that is comparable, accessible and affordable.

While disclosure of your disability to a college is voluntary, it is necessary in order to qualify for assistance. You may apply for an adjustment at any time, but it is recommended that you do so early. Initiate contact with a school before the college application process begins, and ask questions. It may take some procedural time for your application to go through, and requirements may vary amongst different colleges.

You will also need to provide proof of your disability, so be sure to research what is necessary for different institutions, and start your evaluations before senior year. Neither the state nor your college is responsible for the cost of obtaining documentation of your disability, but your state vocational rehabilitation agency may provide funding.

The accommodations and adjustments available at universities will differ drastically, so it's important that you begin researching early in high school. Some schools are very highly regarded for their disability awareness; The University of Illinois, Urbana, Champaign, for example, not only has an excellent disability management training system, but they also offer a comprehensive wheelchair sports program.

If you have questions or concerns before or during your college experience, most schools have an individual (often called the ADA Coordinator or Disability Services Coordinator) to address your questions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
College Advice For Students With A 504 Plan - Campus Explorer

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find out how to get your 504 plan accommodations in college. What is a 504 plan? A 504 plan comes from Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which outlaws excluding people with disabilities from the opportunity to participate equally in federally funded activities, including college.

# data[].attributes.headline
Accessing Disability Services in College

# data[].attributes.subject
Accessing Disability Services in College

# data[].attributes.body
This online training module for individuals with I/DD and their families to learn about inclusive postsecondary opportunities. This module provides an introduction to disability services in colleges, understanding their role, and identifies how to successfully work with them to obtain services.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As more and more colleges and universities begin to integrate inclusive programs for students with intellectual disabilities (ID) on their campuses, program developers look to the Disability Services (DS) office for internal support. As with any change in educational practice, clarity about the complementary roles played by a program for students with intellectual disabilities and the Disability Services office comes through ongoing communication, support, guidance, and experience.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As more and more colleges and universities begin to integrate inclusive programs for students with intellectual disabilities (ID) on their campuses, program developers look to the Disability Services (DS) office for internal support. As with any change in educational practice, clarity about the complementary roles played by a program for students with intellectual disabilities and the Disability Services office comes through ongoing communication, support, guidance, and experience.

# data[].attributes.body
This pictorial inventory allows students to identify their strengths, interests, and preferences.  Students' responses can be a springboard to identifying careers that align.

# data[].attributes.body
My Next Move is a free online interest inventory which allows students to identify their interests and match them to occupations which match those interests.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
My Next Move provides streamlined career search and discovery for students and job seekers. Includes a built-in interest assessment and access to training, education, and job opportunities. Straightforward, easy-to-read one-page career reports help guide individuals’ next move on their road to a satisfying career.

# data[].attributes.body
This survey helps students assess their job readiness skills and identify skills they need to develop to succeed in a job.

# data[].attributes.body
Preparing for work is essential to make a good impression and maintaining a job.

# data[].attributes.headline
Career Cluster Interest Inventory (free)

# data[].attributes.subject
Career Cluster Interest Inventory (free)

# data[].attributes.body
This free online resource allows students to identify their preferences, characteristics, and academic strengths and match them to career clusters that align.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is a career cluster interest survey?

Everyone has a different way to describe themselves and what they like to do. This survey lets you rate activities you enjoy, your personal qualities, and school subjects you like. Then you can see which career clusters are a match for your interests.

How long will it take?

The survey will take about 5-10 minutes.

What will I learn?

At the end of the survey, you will see a list of career clusters that are a good match for your interests.

GET STARTED

This tool was created by CAREERwise Education and is adapted from the Guidance Division Survey, Oklahoma Department of Career and Technical Education (2005).

Disclaimer: This survey does not make any claims of statistical reliability and has not been normed. It is intended for use as a guidance tool to generate discussion regarding careers and is valid for that purpose.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tell us your interests. We'll show you career clusters you might like.

# data[].attributes.body
This worksheet guides students to observe the environment and characteristics about a job. After completing their workplace environment preferences worksheet, this worksheet can assist students in determining if a position they observe (or watch a video about) matches their workplace environment preferences.

# data[].attributes.body
This sheet helps students to think about their preferences for the setting in which they would like to work. Remember, not all students will be able to interpret what the statement is actually saying. For example, working outside - are they ready to work in both very hot and very cold temperatures? You may have to assist in interpreting and providing examples of the statements.

# data[].attributes.body
What do I want to do
Pictorial interest assessment allows students to identify preferences for occupations based on the pictures. Remember, the student may like something about the picture not matching the intention of the picture. So always discuss what they like about a photo! For example, the chef picture may interest someone because it is an indoor clean environment.

# data[].attributes.body
411 Disability Disclosure
This workbook is for families and professionals to learn about supporting people with disabilities and to understand the factors that influence a person's decision to disclose or not disclose their disability.

# data[].attributes.body
This curriculum focuses on soft skills such as communication, finance, teamwork, professionalism, networking, problem-solving skills to build a student's job readiness skills and daily living skills.

# data[].attributes.headline
Skills to Pay the Bills (Spanish version)

# data[].attributes.subject
Skills to Pay the Bills (Spanish version)

# data[].attributes.body
This curriculum focuses on soft skills such as communication, finance, teamwork, professionalism, networking, problem-solving skills to build a student's job readiness skills and daily living skills.

# data[].attributes.body
This pictorial interview may be used to guide an information interview to learn more about a person's job. This would require practice in advance for student's to be comfortable asking questions. You may want to consider students recording the interviews so they do not have to write responses.

# data[].attributes.body
A pictorial interest inventory that can be used for non-readers. Remember some people may interpret the pictures differently than they are intended so discuss their responses.