In Colorado we have such an amazing partnership between Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and our inclusive higher education (IHE) programs. This partnership started in 2016 when it was discovered that Colorado was only one of three states left in the country that did not offer college opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In that year, Colorado passed Senate Bill 16-196 developing the Inclusive Higher Education Pilot program. This program developed three inclusive higher education programs around the state: GOAL at University of Northern Colorado, Elevate at Arapahoe Community College in Denver, and Inclusive Service at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. During this pilot year, 12 students enrolled at the different inclusive college programs around the state, and by 2020 we saw our first 5 graduates!
In 2018, a 501c3 called IN! Pathways to Inclusive Higher Education developed an Education and Outreach program to raise awareness about college opportunities in CO for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. IN! also provided technical assistance to our three pilot programs as they worked towards their Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary (CTP) program certification. During this time we also saw the development of the Opportunities for Postsecondary Success (OPS) program at Colorado State University and the Success program at Front Range Community College through a federal Transition and Postsecondary Program for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) grant. By 2020 we had seen such great success from students attending inclusive higher education programs in CO that we added an Inclusive Higher Education Skills Training fee to our DVR fee schedule. This new fee allowed a seamless process for DVR counselors to support students with intellectual and developmental disabilities who were interested in attending an IHE approved program in the state of Colorado.
In 2022 we were very lucky to see House Bill 22-1107, the Inclusive Higher Education Opportunities Act, passed. This bill created a 5-year Inclusive Higher Education Grant Program that allows colleges across the state to apply for funding to develop, expand and solidify inclusive higher education pathways for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Out of this bill we have seen already existing programs expand as well as the development of five new inclusive higher education programs. These programs are Global Inclusive College Certificate Program at Regis University, RAM Scholars Program at Colorado State University, and Inclusive Higher Education Solutions at Metropolitan State University of Denver. There are also programs in development at Pikes Peak State College in Colorado Springs and Lamar Community College in Lamar. IN! is currently using the remaining funds from the inclusive higher education grant to develop a program on Colorado’s western slope to ensure all students across the state have access to an IHE program no matter where they live.
Throughout this whole process, it has been the collaborative partnerships between DVR, our IHE programs, IN!, and Think College that has made IHE in Colorado as successful as it is. These partnerships mean that all Coloradoans with intellectual and developmental disabilities have information on IHE programs available to them. By training with IN! and DVR, staff of IHE programs are able to connect students with DVR so they can get the supports they need to be successful in their IHE program and be prepared for employment after they complete their IHE program.
CO DVR has also had the honor of partnering with staff from Think College and VR counselors from other states at conferences such as National APSE, the National Rehabilitation Association Fall conference, Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR), and others, to present on Colorado’s IHE successes. These presentations ensure that we are able to continue to build collaborative partnerships with agencies and other states as we grow IHE in Colorado. It also allows us to share our experiences with other states as they build their IHE programs to ensure individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities all over the country have access to attend IHE programs and help them build the skills to enter into employment fields of their choosing based on their strengths and interests.
For more information on policy and legislation related to inclusive higher education in Colorado, visit the What's Happening in Your State page on the Think College website.
For additional information about how vocational rehabilitation can support inclusive higher education efforts, visit this curated list of resources.
About the author: Darby Remley, M.Ed., started her career in public education as a special education teacher. She worked at the elementary middle and high school levels and was a transition coordinator for transition-aged youth. After leaving education she became a service provider for adults with disabilities and trained and provided supported employment services in their employment setting. She then jumped at the opportunity to move back to Fort Collins, CO and took a position as a Rehabilitation Counselor with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) with a specialty caseload working with I/DD and veterans. In 2020, she became the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Supported Employment Coordinator/Trainer with DVR to provide direct training around supported employment and training DVR staff who work with individuals with I/DD. Since that time, she has transitioned into the role of the Supported Employment Coordinator/Trainer and provides training and support for all aspects of supported employment to include services for individuals with I/DD and Mental Health disorders. She is a board member of the Colorado chapter of Association of People Supporting Employment First and a governor appointed member of the Colorado Developmental Disabilities council.