Weir, Cate

Think College Publication
Paying for College > Scholarships
NEW
Document
Scholarships for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Paying for college is hard. However, there are scholarships available for students with intellectual disability who want to go to college. This resource was created to help families and others locate scholarship money to help pay for college. There are scholarships listed that any student is eligible for, and many that are for students with specific disabilities. The information included in this document is up-to-date as of February 2026. The information will be reviewed and updated every year.

Project
National Coordinating Center
Think College Publication
Paying for College > Other Funding Sources
Document
Paying for College: Exploring Funding Sources for an Inclusive Postsecondary Education Program

Any student preparing for college must have a plan to pay for college and students with intellectual disability (ID) are likely to use many of the same resources as other college students to pay for college. There are some resources specific to individuals with disabilities to consider, as well. Students are using numerous approaches to pay for college, often braiding together several different funding sources to cover the costs.

Project
National Coordinating Center
Program Planning > CTP Application Process
Document
Template for CTP Application

This template can be used to complete an application for  CTP program approval.  It includes a section to address each required component of a CTP program. This template was developed as a resource to accompany the online module developed by Think College with information and resources to assist programs to apply for CTP program approval status.

Project
National Coordinating Center
Think College Publication
Academics > Career & Technical Education
Document
Supporting Students with Intellectual Disability to Access Career and Technical Education: A Step-by-Step Guide

This resource is designed for people at postsecondary career and technical education (CTE) institutions who recognize the need to make CTE more accessible to students with intellectual disability. This guide provides a roadmap on how to plan for, initiate, and implement strategies for improving support for students with intellectual disability.

Project
Inclusive Higher Education Network
Think College Publication
Program Operations > Program Evaluation
Program Operations > Student Outcomes
Document
Highlights of the Annual Report of the Cohort 3 TPSID Model Demonstration Projects (Year 4, 2023–2024)
This Highlights document was created with data from the Annual Report of the Cohort 3 TPSID Model Demonstration Projects (Year 3, 2023-2024) for those who are interested in the most critical statistics from the report, or are sharing with a broad audience. It features bold graphics and brief summaries of program and student data, including exit and post-exit outcomes.
Project
National Coordinating Center
IPSE Awareness > IPSE Basics
IPSE Awareness > Public Awareness
Audio
How Colleges Are Becoming More Inclusive of People with Intellectual Disabilities

Families often think that college is not an option for students with intellectual disabilities. But today, there are a growing number of colleges offering inclusive higher education options.

Here & Now’s Deepa Fernandes learns more with Cate Weir, a program director at Think College, part of the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Think College Publication
Program Operations > Student Credentials
Program Planning > Program Development
Document
A Guide to the Program Credential Development and Approval Process

This guide focuses on credentials that are specifically for students with intellectual disability enrolled in inclusive postsecondary programs. Steps are carefully outlined about how to develop a robust and comprehensive course of study that culminates in a meaningful credential approved and awarded by the accredited college or university where the program is located. The process is clearly defined and real life examples and testimonies are provided.

 

Project
National Coordinating Center
Program Operations > Student Outcomes
Document
Demonstrating Progress and Potential: Lessons Learned from Federally Funded Inclusive Postsecondary Education in the United States

In this article, published in the British Journal of Learning Disabilities, the authors present findings from 13 years of data on postsecondary education programs for students with intellectual disability. Since 2010, there has been significant growth in the United States in the number of students with intellectual disability accessing higher education, driven by federal legislation and funding. Currently, over 340 institutions of higher education provide programs of study for students with intellectual disability.

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