Transcript PSE Project - DDI - Michigan College Access Network

Postsecondary Education for Students
with Intellectual and Developmental
Disabilities:
An Action Plan for Michigan
MCAN Annual Conference:
Measuring What Matters
East Lansing, Michigan
April 30, 2012
by
Michael Bray, M.A.
Developmental Disabilities Institute
Wayne State University
The Postsecondary Education (PSE) for Youth with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Project was funded by a grant #20111552-00/2011220000 awarded by the Michigan Department of Community Health, Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC) and completed by the
Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI), Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.
Michigan PSE Project Partners
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Michigan Developmental
Disabilities Council
Developmental Disabilities
Institute
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The Arc of Kent County
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Michigan College Access
Network
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Ready For Life Network

Michigan Disability Rights
Coalition
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Michigan Department of
Community Health
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The Arc Michigan, Michigan
Alliance for Families
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Parent & Advocates
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Michigan Protection &
Advocacy Service, Inc.

Michigan Community College
Association

Michigan Dept. of Licensing
and Regulatory Affairs
(Formerly DELEG)
Michigan PSE Project Overview
The Problem:
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Less than 5% of students with
intellectual and/or developmental
disabilities (ID/DD) attend
postsecondary programs such as
college or technical training
programs.
There are gap in the knowledge
of, and preparation for, such
post-high school options.
Michigan PSE Project Overview
Goals of Project:
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Identify existing resources to serve
students.
Determine unmet needs and gaps.
Identify why students are not
accessing the full array of services
and supports that are available to
them.
Identify unintended barriers and
special problems to overcome.
Identify strategies to meet
stakeholder desires and needs.
Michigan PSE Project Overview
Activities:
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Convened the PSE Project Planning Team.
Implemented a comprehensive, statewide needs
assessment of PSE for students with ID/DD, parents, and
educators in Michigan.
Developed a PSE Action Plan and Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) among key stakeholders.
Michigan PSE Project Overview
PSE Planning Team:
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The PSE Planning Team met once per month starting in December
of 2010.
The Team met in Lansing/E. Lansing at the offices of the MDDC and
MDRC.
Team members included representatives from various educational,
disability, & advocacy groups, as well as parents and persons with
disabilities.
Meetings focused on identifying issues facing students in Michigan
specifically, and how to best address those issues.
Team members were instrumental in the development of needs
assessment tools and their dissemination.
Michigan PSE Project Overview
Statewide Needs Assessment:
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Two web-based surveys were developed:
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One survey for students with ID/DD and their families.
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One survey for disability and education professionals.
Survey questions asked about the experiences of students, parents,
& professionals with the education system – both secondary &
postsecondary – and transitioning between the two:
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What was the transition process like for them?
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How did they find out about postsecondary options?
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What obstacles did they encounter?
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What strategies did they use to overcome these obstacles?
Michigan PSE Project Overview
Results of Needs Assessment:
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Total of 229 people completed the online student/family survey.
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Avg. age of 37 years old
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67% Female
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81% Caucasian, 11% African-American
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46% reported disabilities
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53% family members
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42 Counties across Michigan represented
Of those reporting disabilities:
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44% multiple disabilities
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21% Intellectual Disabilities
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21% Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Michigan PSE Project Overview
Results of Needs Assessment:
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Majority of student/family respondents believed going to
college/earning a degree was important.
Only 18% had taken part in any college searches or campus visit
activities.
Majority of respondents were unsure if college was an option for
them.
Most students had either a Certificate of Completion (27%) or did
not finish high school with any document (46%).
Of those in PSE Programs, only 23% are receiving college credit.
Most PSE Program participants reported not being very socially
active on their campuses.
Michigan PSE Project Overview
Results of Needs Assessment:
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Barriers to accessing PSE (According to students/family
members):
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Lack of support from teachers or counselors.
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Lack of transportation options.
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Not confident in meeting people/making friends.
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Not confident in skills necessary to succeed in college.
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Not confident that I can do well in college.
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Lack of money/knowledge of grants or student loans.
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No help from the disability support office at my school.
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I am afraid to go to school.
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Do not know where to get information on colleges.
Michigan PSE Project Overview
Results of Needs Assessment:
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Total of 67 people completed the online
professionals survey.
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Avg. age of 44 years old.
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79% Female.
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94% Caucasian, 3% African-American.
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10% reported disabilities.
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39% family members.
Majority (87%) work with
students/individuals with disabilities
regularly.
Michigan PSE Project Overview
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Barriers identified by professionals:
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Acquiring the (functional) skills
necessary to succeed in post-high
school settings such as college or
work.
Knowledge of the supports and
resources that exist to them in the
community and on campus and how
to ask for and attain them.
Eligibility (certificate vs. diploma) and
the financial aspects of higher
education.
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Lack of transportation.
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Lack of effective, realistic transition
planning and follow-through from
secondary to postsecondary
educational settings.
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Barriers identified by
students/families:
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Lack of support from teachers or
counselors.
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Lack of transportation options.
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Not confident in meeting
people/making friends.
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Not confident in skills necessary
to succeed in college.
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Not confident that I can do well in
college.
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Lack of money/knowledge of
grants or student loans.
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No help from the disability support
office at my school.
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Lack of support.
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I am afraid to go to school.
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Lack of social skills and ability to
navigate the community/college
campus socially.
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Do not know where to get
information on colleges.
Michigan PSE Project Overview
Statewide Needs Assessment:
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Three focus groups were conducted:
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One parent focus group (6) and one student (8)
focus group in Grand Rapids, Michigan
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One student focus group in Oscoda, Michigan (12)
Focus groups gave participants the chance
to relate their experiences and concerns in
person.
Participants’ experiences were compared
to the information reported by survey
respondents.
Michigan PSE Project Focus Groups
Michigan PSE Project Focus Groups
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Students reported that:
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Those who became interested in college/PSE early had
someone who encouraged them to do so.
Transportation was a primary concern/obstacle.
More hands-on experiences were desired, earlier on.
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Campus Visits, for example.
They needed more information on where to find college
resources and information.
They needed more academic support to succeed.
More PSE options at more Michigan schools!
They were told college was not an option for them.
Money for school was an issue.
Michigan PSE Action Plan
Development of Action Plan:
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Purpose: to address educational and
support needs of students with ID/DD.
Intended to stand as a road map for
future PSE Groups and advocates.
Outlines current issues to be addressed
at the individual, community, and state
levels.
Offers strategies for accomplishing the
goals set out in the Plan.
Recommends action to be taken to
implement strategies.
Michigan PSE Action Plan
Action Plan Focus Areas:
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Teacher & Staff Training
Community Partnerships and Collaborations
Hands-On Experiences and Opportunities for
Students
Information & Family Outreach: Create Web-Based
Information on PSE Programs in Michigan
Transportation
Self-Advocacy & Leadership Training for Students
Mentoring for Students in PSE Programs
Influence State Policy Using Evidence-Based
Research & Practice
Michigan PSE Action Plan
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Current PSE Team efforts include:
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Conference presentations.
Formation of community and professional partnerships and
collaborations.
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Training development and implementation.
Increased use of web-based resources.
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MCAN/NCAN, THINKcollege, Michigan Alliance for Families (MAF)
Website, social media, link with other PSE groups.
Outreach to parents, students, and school personnel.
Michigan PSE Action Plan
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Work with MCAN:
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Currently developing training sessions.
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In-person and web-based.
Aim is to provide training to Local College Access Network
(LCAN) members.
Training topics will include:
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Working with students with disabilities.
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Principles of Person-Centered Planning.
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Self-Determination.
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Working with parents and advocates of students with disabilities.
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Local, state and national disability organizations and resources.
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Who to turn to in Michigan for disability-related information.
Michigan PSE Action Plan
Into the future!
 Michigan DD Council vital link in moving forward.
 Multi-level, multi-disciplinary collaboration is key in
effectively addressing the issues that students, parents
and educators face.
 Identifying successful transition and support strategies
may offer insight into what can be used on a wider basis.
 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) illustrates the
commitment of many Michigan organizations and entities
to the importance of improving access to PSE for
students with ID/DD.
 PSE success will only increase in importance for
individuals to be able to live independently.
 MUST show PSE’s link to successful employment
outcomes!
Michigan PSE Action Plan
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Helpful links:
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THINKcollege
http://www.thinkcollege.net/
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AHEAD
http://www.ahead.org/
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MI-TOP
http://mi-top.cenmi.org/
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MDRC
http://www.copower.org/
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E&E
http://www.eeonline.org/
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DDI
http://ddi.wayne.edu
This presentation is available at:
http://ddi.wayne.edu/MCAN.php
Michigan PSE Action Plan
Thank you!
PSE Team Coordinator:
Michael Bray
(313) 577-6684
[email protected]
http://ddi.wayne.edu
Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council:
(517) 334-6123
http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-1322941_4868_4897---,00.html