Academic / Peer-Reviewed Article

This article appeared as a special introduction in the Journal of Inclusive Postsecondary Education (JIPE), Volume 5, Issue 2. Written by Meg Grigal, it highlights the influential professional contributions of Debra Hart, a leader in inclusive postsecondary education for over 50 years. Debra's early work created the foundation for current practices such as college-based transition services and person-centered planning. Her efforts also led to initiatives such as the Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative and the establishment of Think College.

College-based transition programs offer students with intellectual disability and autism the opportunity to navigate adult learning experiences with similar-aged peers, accessing college coursework and employment experiences, while continuing to receive support from or coordinated by their local school system.

Youth with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder increasingly access postsecondary education in many countries around the world. To ensure students are ready to access these options, preparation for postsecondary education must be part of their transition services.

Staff Perceptions on Factors Affecting Access to Intimacy Education and Intimate Experiences for College Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities reveals that a majority of staff members at inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who participated in a national survey agreed that their students think learning about intimacy is a priority, but feel their students lack confidence to ask for support in learning more about sex and dating.

More students with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) are attending post-secondary education than ever before. As more students with IDD enter college, inclusive post-secondary education programs (IPSE) will be required to make important decisions about the types of services and supports they provide. IPSE program staff should aim to provide supports and services that honor students’ dignity of risk and facilitate opportunities for students to take risks.

Significant advancements resulting from various legislative and grant initiatives have resulted in increases in higher education programs enrolling students with intellectual disability (ID). Information about program practices in admissions, academic access, employment, campus housing, and extracurricular activities was gathered via a national survey and offered to the public via a searchable directory.

Postsecondary education (PSE) programs allow for college students with intellectual disability to experience a higher level of autonomy in choice making, which they may not have experienced in their family home or high school. This includes choice making related to romantic and sexual relationships. The Continuum of Support for Intimacy Knowledge in College Survey (CoSIK-C) was used to examine how PSE programs support college students in building their intimacy knowledge.

This paper critiques the emergence of micro-credentials in higher education. It argues that micro-credentials build on the discourse of employability skills and 21^st century skills within human capital theory, and that they increase the potential of human capital theory to ‘discipline’ the HE curriculum to align it more closely with putative labour market requirements.

Postsecondary education programs for students with intellectual disability have a variety of names. The name of a program sets the tone for families and students, and other key supporters, of what to expect from that program. The authors sought to address a lack of guidance on considerations for naming a postsecondary education program for students with intellectual disability by first analyzing the names of existing programs for common words and themes. Using data from the Think College programs directory, the authors coded the words and themes in 310 program names.

Due to changes in legislation and policy in the United States, higher education has become more available to people with intellectual disability (ID). Currently, over 6000 students with ID are enrolled in 310 colleges and universities. In the past decade, the federal government has invested over 100 million dollars in a model demonstration program aimed at institutions of higher education to create, expand, or enhance high-quality, inclusive higher education experiences to support positive outcomes for individuals with ID.