Resource Library

This document is a comprehensive literature review of root causes or barriers that students with disabilities face to accessing high quality education, including career and technical education, experiences. The review also includes aligned strategies and resources that educators, parents and communities can use to remove these root causes and create equitable learning environments for students with disabilities.

Volunteer work, internships, and unpaid job exploration can be effective strategies for individuals with disabilities looking to gain work-related experience, as well as assessments and training at places of business. However, such activities must be undertaken carefully, with a clear understanding of the purpose of these activities. All parties must know what is permitted from a legal perspective, as well as practical considerations regarding the appropriate use of volunteer and unpaid work experiences.

This Student Handbook from the Inclusive Education Services program at University of Central Florida provides a good example of the information to include for students in a handbook of this type.  The course of study for the program and the satisfactory academic progress policy are included and provide solid examples of those key aspects of a college program.

The attached is a description of Aggie ACHIEVE including goals, course requirements and offerings, employment goals, and more.

This bill, expired in 2019, would have required the Governor of Maryland to include funding in the annual state budget for a new competitive grant program that will fund supplemental services and supports for students with disabilities at Maryland community colleges. The funding amount in the budget would be at least $2,500,000 each year, beginning in FY 2021, and the grant program would be administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

This simple handout highlights some of the best resources from Think College for students and families. Featuring the college search, publications, and online resources, this handout is great to share with families new to college planning. (Updated October 2019.)

This resource shares the PPT slides and transcript from a webinar presented by experienced technical assistance provider, Russ Thelin, in 2019. He provides answers to the some of the questions we receive most at our Helpdesk. Specific topics to be addressed include:

At the CEC 2019 conference, Meg Grigal, Debra Hart, and Clare Papay, along with Dana Lattin from University of Kansas presented Higher Education for Students With Intellectual Disability: Profiles of Effective Practice. This presentation covered the latest national data on access to higher education by students with intellectual disability, and provided concrete examples and strategies on access to inclusive college coursework, paid employment, and campus residential options.

This webinar explores how to use diverse college and community experiences to develop measurable IEP goals and benchmarks that support student growth and success. Consider that talking to professors, ordering lunch in the cafeteria, and planning to meet friends at a basketball game are more than just fun activities, they are the starting points for developing comprehensive, student-centered Individual Education Program (IEP) goals for transition-age youth!

This Grab and Go Practice #13 is part of a series helping students, parents, teachers, and job developers create customized employment opportunities for students with disabilities. This issue focuses on how a job developer or teacher can negotiate a customized job proposal with an employer. Negotiating with employers for the best possible outcome for both the job seeker and the employer can be challenging and we hope this Grab & Go will support your efforts!