Academic / Peer-Reviewed Article

Similar to their typical peers, students with intellectual disability enrolled in postsecondary education programs endure levels of stress that result in the application of coping strategies necessary to navigate various social domains of college life, including romantic relationships, friendships, roommate relationships, and social media interactions. This study utilizes survey and interview data to examine which coping strategies are used by college students with intellectual disability.

There is growing evidence postsecondary education (PSE) is an effective pathway to employment for individuals with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder (ID/A). Partnerships between institutions of higher education (IHEs) and vocational rehabilitation (VR) are essential in providing better access to this pathway. This study sought to identify elements of effective IHE-VR partnerships through case studies at four sites, involving interviews with faculty and program staff, VR administrators and counselors, and students and families.

The knowledge and attitudes of faculty and instructors greatly influence the experiences of all college students, including college students with ID. As the number of institutions of higher education enrolling students with ID grows, faculty and staff must be prepared to support the learning needs of all of these college students. We conducted qualitative interviews with 10 college faculty teaching inclusive courses at 7 colleges and universities across the U.S.

Researchers explored 11 of Florida’s inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs for individuals with intellectual disability (ID), during the 2016 and 2017 academic years. The researchers sought to explore, the nature of academic access as well as the programs of study available to students with ID within Florida’s IPSE programs. Researchers found the majority (73%; n=8) of IPSE programs in this study (n=11) housed at three universities, three community and state colleges, and two career technical colleges.

The passage of the Higher Education Opportunity Act in 2008 extended the expectation of previous legislation (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act and Individuals With Disabilities Education Act) regarding general education academic access for students with intellectual disability, from elementary to secondary and now through to postsecondary education.

This article describes how programs responded to meet the needs of students with intellectual disability (ID) in response to campus closures and remote learning. The authors relied on individual experiences as well as notes from the Think College program staff meetings, focusing on academics, social inclusion, and employment, as well as the changing roles of peer mentors and families. The article concludes by looking forward to the Fall semester and beyond, examining the longer-term impact of remote instruction and what this could mean for inclusive higher education. 

Students with intellectual disability (ID) are increasingly attending postsecondary education institutions and acquiring work experiences while completing their studies. One of the main motivations for students with ID to seek higher education is to broaden and increase their chance for finding fulfilling, paid employment in their communities.

This article examines the population of students who are not completing college. Further, it focuses on students with intellectual disabilities (ID) and the progress that has been made in recent years to improve opportunities for students with ID to attend-- and complete-- college. Several strategies are cited that have helped inclusive college teaching such as universal design for learning (UDL), differentiated instruction, accommodations, and the use of mentoring and coaching.

Amendments to the Higher Education Opportunity Act (2008), including the creation of the Transition and Postsecondary Program for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) model demonstration program, have led to increased opportunities for students with intellectual disability to obtain postsecondary education. The present study builds on previous reviews of the literature on postsecondary education (PSE) for students with intellectual disability (SWID) to provide a review of articles published in peer-reviewed journals between 2010 and 2016.