Resource Library

Opportunities for collaboration, peer-to-peer learning, and coalition building proliferated as the number of inclusive higher education programs more than doubled in the last decade. Alliances among states and several regions of the country are providing excellent mechanisms for moving the field forward in new and unified ways, as well as supporting sustainability in the field. This article, featured in Impact, provides examples of state alliances and discusses current work related to the development of regional alliances.

Between 2010-2020, more than 4,000 students with intellectual disability have taken over 50,000 courses while enrolled in colleges and universities hosting TPSID programs (Transition and Postsecondary Education Programs for Students with Intellectual Disability). In this article, the authors discuss steps the field of inclusive postsecondary education can take to ensure equitable access to higher education for more students with intellectual disability. 

This issue of Impact, by the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota, highlights critical areas of need for inclusive higher education. Accreditation holds promise for ensuring the quality experience that students and their families seek. Opening inclusive programs to a wider cross section of students is also important, as is making sure programs are truly inclusive, offering coursework that leads to competitive employment.

A recent increase in scholarship, advocacy, and media attention in the United States has led to increased interest in matters related to guardianship and supported decision-making for people with disabilities. These are especially critical issues for higher education programs supporting young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities as they prepare for careers and life in their communities.

The Think College team presented a poster at the AUCD Annual Conference from November 13-16, 2022 in Washington D.C. This resource listing includes a variety of resources that accompanied the poster.

The poster is about state funding for postsecondary education for students with intellectual disability. It covers different types of legislative funding (student funding, program funding) and how UCEDDs have been involved with state legislation.

Over the course of two years, the ASTEP program at Minot State University developed a university certificate and a stackable AAS degree. In partnership with the North Dakota Impact Consortium, this successful model has been used to develop a university recognized credential at a second university in North Dakota with a third and fourth on their way. Related resources include:

The Co-Op Program at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) recently developed and had approved the first pre-baccalaureate certificate offered by the University of Illinois state system. In this slide deck, Kaitlin Stober, Program Coordinator of University Illinois Chicago’s Co-Op Program, outlines her team’s approach to building a meaningful credential for students in inclusive postsecondary education. The Co-Op Program was funded during the 2020 TPSID cycle, and started operating as an official, credit-bearing university certificate in Fall 2022.

This worksheet from the University of Central Florida is an example of a Semester Student Audit Form providing a visual accounting of how the student is meeting the program requirements for the semester and documentation of Satisfactory Academic Progress. A PDF is provided with an example of a filled out form. An Excel version is also provided so you may update the form to fit your needs.

Russ Thelin highlights components of building and sustaining partnerships between inclusive postsecondary education programs (IPSE) and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). Examples of collaborative practices between vocational rehabilitation and inclusive higher education are outlined, as well as common areas of challenge in building partnerships between the two players, with offerings of how to potentially address them.

This June 2022 article on the website Moneygeek includes helpful information for families about financial planning for a family member with disabilities. The article walks the reader through steps for planning, a variety of benefits for family members with disabilities, numerous tools to utilize, plus additional resources. Additionally, there are some average costs shared and a national directory for special needs financial planners and advisors.