Carter, Erik

Questions remain about how best to support the involvement of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in all aspects of campus life—both within and beyond the college classroom. Although program staff and faculty can be critical, the need for more natural sources of support must also be emphasized. Fellow college students can play a variety of roles in supporting students with intellectual disability to access a wide range of campus experiences, including classes, student organizations, volunteer experiences, residential life, work, and spending time with friends.

The Spring 2019 Research Summit will focus on evaluating the experiences and perspectives of peer mentors supporting students with intellectual disability in inclusive higher education. Erik Carter, Ph.D., Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Special Education at Vanderbilt University and Fiona Rillotta, Ph.D., Lecturer & Honours Coordinator, Disability and Community Inclusion, College of Nursing and Health Science at Flinders University, will present their work. Presentation handouts, a recording of the summit, and the transcript of the summit are available here for download.

Although peer-mentoring relationships are critical to including youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities in postsecondary educational settings, little is known about the motivations and experiences of peer mentors. To investigate, we conducted a mixed-methods study in which 17 volunteer peer mentors completed the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) and participated in interviews about their motivations and experiences.