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Peer mentoring is a well-established tool for supporting college students, and it often yields strong benefits (Budge, 2006; Colvin & Ashman, 2010). Much of the research to date has examined characteristics of mentors or mechanisms to support mentees. Little of that research focuses on the use of peer mentoring for college students with intellectual disabilities (ID).

This chapter from Think College!: Postsecondary Options for Students with Intellectual Disabilities, includes guidance for families as they consider college options. There is information about opportunities and challenges, what to expect, what motivates a student to go to college, how best to navigate the process, and more. Throughout this chapter there are vignettes from students and families to illustrate the points made.

Research and experience tell us a great deal about how to successfully educate students with the full range of intellectual disability, but unfortunately this knowledge remains underutilized and inconsistently applied.

The FY2011/2012  report of data from the Think College National Coordinating Center on the Transition Postsecondary Education Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabiities (TPSID) projects. These annual reports share data and analysis from data collected from a total of 54 TPSID projects annually from 2010-2015 on the programmatic structures and student characteristics and student outcomes. 

The FY2013 annual report of data from the Think College National Coordinating Center on the Transition Postsecondary Education Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabiities (TPSID) projects.  These annual reports share data and analysis from data collected from a total of 54 TPSID projects annually from 2010-2015 on the programmatic structures and student characteristics and student outcomes. 

The FY2014 annual report of data from the The Think College National Coordinating Center on the Transition Postsecondary Education Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabiities (TPSID) projects.  These annual reports share data and analysis from data collected from a total of 54 TPSID projects annually from 2010-2015 on the programmatic structures and student characteristics and student outcomes. 

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 is transforming how federally funded job training programs help prepare workers for the labor force. The law is aimed at increasing opportunities, through innovation and support, particularly for those facing barriers in the labor force. One implication of the law is a renewed emphasis on the role that state vocational rehabilitation agencies (SVRAs) play in preparing transition-age youth for employment. This brief provides an overview of current programs that SVRAs offer to transition-age youth.

The college experience in Iceland has traditionally been reserved for those who have passed the matriculation examination and meet the admission requirements of higher educational institutions. Since 2007, the University of Iceland has offered a Vocational Diploma Programme for people with intellectual disabilities in inclusive settings. The purpose of this article is to describe the diploma programme as well as exploring students’ sense of belonging to the college community.

This presentation was delivered at the 2016 CEC Division of Career Development & Transition conference, by Meg Grigal, Debra Hart, and Frank Smith of Think College. Data and trends about the involvement of vocational rehabilitation in inclusive higher education was presented. Challenges and recommendations were made to improve the effectiveness of VR service provision and involvment in inclusive higher education to improve outcomes for students with ID.

This presentation was delivered as a Plenary Panel Address at the 2016 State of the Art Conference for Inclusive Higher Education, featuring Barry Whaley (University of Kentucky), Ed James & D'Arcy Robb (Georgia VR Agency), Jordan Knab (University of South Florida-St. Petersburg), and Dana Baccanti (PA Department of Labor & Industry). Each presenter shared information from his or her state about the role of VR in inclusive higher education programs and addressed topics such as funding streams, interagency collaboration, building capacity, and more.