Transcript Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities in Higher Ed

Individuals with Intellectual
Disabilities in Higher Ed and National
Service: Making the Connection
Molly Boyle
October 1, 2009
Corporation for National
& Community Service
Information on the Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS):
• A federal agency established in 1993 and reauthorized in 2009 with the
passage of the Kennedy Serve America Act to provide opportunities for ALL
Americans to give back to their communities through service and
volunteering
• CNCS mission is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic
engagement through service and volunteering
• Structured volunteer service opportunities are provided through three
major programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America.
Initiatives to be established with the Serve America Act reinforce CNCS’
commitment to the inclusion of individuals with disabilities
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Why Volunteer Through a
National Service Program
In addition to the many benefits, participants
who volunteer in a National Service program
are eligible to receive:
– A living stipend
– An education award
– Health insurance, as needed
– Child care benefits, as needed
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Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act
March 31, 2009
•House of Representatives passed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America
Act.
April 21, 2009
• President Obama signed the bill into law.
Reauthorizes the Corporation for National and Community Service and its
programs through 2014.
Information contained in this PowerPoint is for informational purposes only and does not imply
endorsement from the Corporation for National and Community Service.
“…ensure that students of different ages, races, sexes, ethnic groups,
disabilities, & economic backgrounds have opportunities to serve
together”
“…includes as participants youths and young adults who are age 16
through 25, including …youth who are individuals with disabilities”
“…collaborate with org’s with demonstrated expertise in supporting
and accommodating individuals with disabilities, including institutions
of higher education, to increase the number of participants with
disabilities.”
“provide and disseminate information regarding methods to make
service-learning programs and programs offered under the national
service laws accessible to individuals with disabilities”
To help an individual decide which national service program is best suited to
their needs, go to:
http://www.nationalservice.gov/for_individuals/ready/selector.asp
or
http://www.americorps.gov/for_individuals/choose/index.asp
or
President Obama’s newest site:
http://www.serve.gov
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Connecting Through the
National Service Inclusion
Project (NSIP)
• The ICI at UMass Boston manages the National Service
Inclusion Project [NSIP]
• Please go to: www.serviceandinclusion.org for extensive
information on the Corporation’s disability inclusion
initiatives
• Contact information:
Paula Sotnik, Director
[email protected]
1-888-491-0326
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Higher Education
Opportunity Act of 2008
• Improve access to post-secondary education
for students with intellectual disabilities
including:
– New eligibility for Financial Aid
– Model Demonstration Programs
– Coordinating Center
Definition from HEOA
The term “student with an intellectual disability”
means a student:
• with mental retardation or a cognitive
impairment, characterized by significant
limitations in intellectual and cognitive
functioning; and adaptive behavior as expressed
in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills;
and
• who is currently, or was formerly, eligible for a
free appropriate public education (FAPE) under
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
THREE FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECTS
Research, training/technical assistance and
model demonstration related to increasing
access to postsecondary education for people
with intellectual/developmental disabilities
What does access to college mean?
The pathways may be different, but the
benefits are similar for all students.
As for all individuals, service can fit into a
number of places on the pathway to and from
college.
What are the benefits for individuals
with intellectual disabilities?
• Gained content area skills (e.g., computer skills) that
relate to employment
• Developed new life and self-advocacy skills
• Learned to travel independently (some students
utilized public transit for the first time in their lives)
• Created opportunities for students to consider
attending college after high school, for individuals
who believed post-secondary education was not in
their future
• Achieved significant improvements in self esteem
• Encouraged participation in the community
Model Practices for Higher
Education Inclusion
• Person Centered
Planning
• Universal Design
• Mentoring
• Coaching
• Self-advocacy &
Independence
• Local and/or Regional
Cross Agency
Coordinating Team
• Creative and
Collaborative Funding
• Competitive
Employment
Universal Design
• Consider the needs of the broadest possible
range of users from the beginning.
• Thus, improving access to college and work for
individuals with disabilities improves access
for all.
Coaching
• Job Coach, Educational Coach, Life Coach,
Mentors: all these titles describe a similar role
that can help students with intellectual
disabilities.
• Coaches are sometimes described as detectives &
anthropologists, identifying a variety of strategies
and methods which will allow the person to be a
valued and accepted student/worker, with the
absolute minimum of support provided directly
by the coach.
How coaches can support success
• Help individuals to understand themselves as
learners
• Help individuals to understand and express their
support needs
• Teach individuals how to advocate for
themselves
• Work towards the inclusion of individuals into
typical community settings
• Utilize the available natural supports
• Provide the absolute minimum supports possible
• Fade support over time
Planning Tool
Possible need for
assistance
Individual
responsibilities
Support coach will
provide, if any
Transportation to and from work
site
Individual is prepared for
the day with all the
materials he/she needs
Coach helps individual
navigate public transportation
Communication with supervisor
Individual will write emails
and leave voicemails as
needed
Coach will help individual learn
new email and voice systems
Meetings with team members &
supervisor
Individual will come to all
meetings on time
Coach will help to set
reminders in the cell phone
Requesting accommodations
Individual will ask that all
printed materials are in
large print
Coach may help individual to
rehearse to ask for
accommodations as needed
Social Activities (i.e. between
tasks, lunch)
Individual will participate in
lunch activities
Coach may help individual
observe what people do in
their free time during lunch
Resources
• Think College: www.thinkcollege.net
• Equity and Excellence in Higher Education: www.eeonline.org
• National Service Inclusion Project:
- Fact Sheet on the SEGAL AmeriCorps Education Award
http://www.serviceandinclusion.org/index.php?page=conf_08
• Non-traditional Uses of the Education Award:
http://encorps.nationalserviceresources.org/resources/getting_the_
most_from_the_education_award/nontraditional_ed_award_uses.
php
• The Edward M. Kenedy Serve America Act of 2009:
http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/serveamerica/index.asp
Molly Boyle:
[email protected]
617.287.4307