Think College Transition

This is a sample schedule for a student who is dually enrolled in high school and college. It features his interest in graphic design and includes academics, employment, travel time, and some social activities, as well. The goal for students in dual enrollment programs is to move the student’s transition services away from a high school-based setting to a college-based setting that is more natural for peers of this age and is more inclusive of peers without disabilities. This is reflective of the Think College Transition model.

This Think College Transition Student Profile features Robert, his love of theater, and how he worked with his parents, academic advisor, and educational coach to set concrete goals for transition and postsecondary education. Robert continues to enjoy a successful, productive experience at Bridgewater State University, as he works toward his career and personal goals.

This is the first issue of Think College Transition Student Profiles. This publication tells the story of Rachel, a student at Holyoke Community College in Massachusetts. Rachel and her team did some person-centered planning to determine what Rachel’s goals were, and then the Rachel worked closely with an academic advisor to be sure her goals were met. This profile highlights the positive results that can come from collaborative planning and supports between college, local school district, and service providers.

This resource includes the Power Point presentation for the webinar, Capitalizing on Inclusive Dual Enrollment Experiences for IEP Planning & Progress Monitoring. This webinar provided an overview of numerous ways that IEP team members are capitalizing on these college experiences to develop IEPs that reflect these rich transition experiences as well as to communicate the progress students are making on measurable postsecondary goals.

The IDE Student Evaluation Tool is focused on seven skill areas that inclusive dually enrolled students are engaged in and which can show growth. These include campus navigation and travel, time management and organization, classroom and campus, self-advocacy and self-awareness, social skills and communication, vocational skills and internships, and life skills. This Tool goes with Grab and Go Practices #5, Documenting Student Growth in Inclusive Dual Enrollment Programs.

This Grab and Go Practices #5 explains why and how to document student skill acquisition and development in the transition process. When transition-age students participate in an inclusive dual enrollment college program, they have built-in opportunities to increase and improve numerous foundation skills. These changes in personal growth are often noted by family, friends, and support personnel, but they are rarely quantified.

College is an ideal setting to develop and expand a person’s social network. Using strategies that maximize social opportunities centered around shared interests and common experiences can often lead to the development of authentic friendships and increased campus membership. Educational coaches are in an ideal position to recognize opportunities for social engagement and to support and encourage students to develop social networks and new friendships. A checklist for educational coaches in included in this publication.

In this Grab and Go Practices, we offer suggestions for instructing students to use apps, software applications, smartphones, and other technology tools in typical college experiences. We discuss how these tools can help with mobility, following schedules, academic support, communication, social connections, and personal management. A checklist for educational coaches is included.

This Grab and Go fact sheet summarizes best practices for coaches and mentors who support dually enrolled students with intellectual disabilities and autism on college campuses. A list of related items for an educational coach professional portfolio is included. We offer suggestions on promoting independence and gradually fading prompts to maximize a student’s potential for independence. These suggestions are provided in a naturally occurring order, but not all steps are necessary, and the student's abilities and needs should guide the process.

This Grab and Go Fact Sheet summarizes best practices for coaches and mentors who support dually enrolled students with intellectual disabilities and autism on college campuses. Students who receive transition services and attend college have many opportunities throughout the day to develop and use life skills. In fact, the more students stay on campus, the more opportunities they have to use these skills in natural contexts and with natural cues. Sometimes, IEP teams are tempted to address learning goals in high school settings where these skills were traditionally taught.