Program Development
Developing a program for students with intellectual disabilities in a college setting requires a good deal of planning, collaboration, and time. Most importantly, the people involved in planning activities must ensure that the new program or services are designed specifically to meet students' needs. Ask yourself the following questions: "What are we trying to accomplish?", "What goals can the students achieve in their new location that they could not in a high school setting?".
Having a clear vision of what you are trying to create will assist in all aspects of planning and will provide the means to communicate your goals clearly to partners. Visiting existing programs is one way to develop a vision of what you would like your new program to offer. However, don't get bogged down in visiting too many programs searching for one that will be just like yours. You won't find it. Each program is unique and will be designed around the needs and desires of the students, the skills and experiences of its staff, and the resources it has access to, including the college environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do you determine if you need to develop a program?
- How do you choose a location?
- How do you approach a college to partner with?
- Who should be a part of the planning team?
- How long does it take to plan a program?
- How much does it cost to start a program?
- What does a student's schedule look like?
- Who pays for tuition?
- What kinds of classes do students take?
- What types of transition/IEP goals do students have?
1. How do you determine if you need to develop a program?
The best way to determine if you need to develop a program for students with intellectual disabilities at a college or elsewhere is to conduct a needs assessment of current student services. A needs assessment allows you to look at what services students are currently receiving, pinpoint the areas in which there are gaps or needs that are not being met, and determine how many students would benefit from an alternative option. It provides a summary of students' experiences related to employment, classroom instruction, extra-curricular activities, eligibility for state agency support or benefits, and other pertinent areas.
If the needs assessment demonstrates that only a few students are interested in accessing a college setting, then you do not necessarily need to create a whole new program, but may be able to meet students' needs through the development of individual supports. This process allows students to access college classes and settings through the development of personal goals, and an individualized schedule and supports are provided by education or job coaches, as needed, in each learning environment (i.e. on the job or in a college class).
If you do decide to develop a program it is important to determine how this program will differ from what the students are currently receiving in high school. Changing the location of services is not sufficient. Students' outcomes will not be improved by moving an existing community-based classroom to a college setting. Careful thought must be put into how this program will expand students' learning opportunities, expose them to a greater expectations and independence, and prepare them for life.
2. How do you choose a location?
Once you determine that there is a need for new or different services, you then must determine the best location to provide those services. This may or may not be a college. The location of services should be determined from the results of the needs assessment. If students require greater community employment options, then the location for services may be based in the community. If students need expanded learning opportunities, then they might best be met in a college setting. Programs in college settings should be created specifically for students who are interested in and motivated to participate in college classes and activities. When choosing a college, you should keep in mind that there are differences between community colleges and four year colleges and universities when it comes to admission procedures, cost, availability of social networks, and clubs and activities. Make sure that the college you choose offers classes and activities in which your students want to participate. Visit the college and get a feel for the environment. Review the course catalog and class schedule so that you know that this college is the best place for the students to attain their goals. Finally, it is best to choose a college that is open to the idea of serving non-traditional students. It is difficult to start a program in a place in which the students would not be made to feel be welcome.
3. How do you approach a college to partner with?
Once you have chosen a college, try to build on existing partnerships. Often local school systems already have interagency or collaborative agreements with colleges. Most often these are aimed at supporting students without disabilities. Determine which college or colleges your system has a relationship with and identify the liaison between the school system and the college. It is vital that the person who approaches the college knows and understands the mission of your program or services. They must be able to "sell" the idea that serving students with intellectual disabilities benefits not only the students, but also the college. If possible, arrange a meeting with a high-level college administrator (President, Provost, Dean), as they are in the position to forge a meaningful and sustainable partnership and will be able to foster support and acceptance from their administrative and instructional staff. Be prepared to share your vision and program goals with the college representative, describe students' schedules, and be ready to specify what you are asking from them (access to classes, space, access to facilities, computer, telephone, fax, student IDs). See the resources section below for a list of benefits to the college and fact sheets on program development.
4. Who should be a part of the planning team?
The planning team should consist of representatives from all stakeholder groups, however, be wary of making your committee to large. Membership can be molded to the task at hand and evolve over time. At first, it is important that someone with administrative authority from the school system be present at all planning meetings, as planning activities will have financial and policy implications and someone must be present who has the authority to commit resources. In addition, personnel who are familiar with the students' abilities, activities, and goals should be present to make sure that the planning activities are meaningful and will center on the needs of the student. Clearly, there also needs to be representation from the college, ideally, someone who is in a position of authority (Dean, Provost, President). Students with intellectual disabilities can also provide input regarding their motivations for college and highlight areas in which they might need support. Parents of students with intellectual disabilities are also vital members of the planning team, as they are often an integral part of getting school systems to expand their service options. Parents of former students can often provide insight into the skills that students need post-school. Other key players include adult service personnel and representatives from state agencies such as vocational rehabilitation and developmental disabilities administrations who will be supporting students once they leave the school system. Including personnel from adult systems will help to facilitate early partnerships between the students and the entities that will support them post-school. As your program gets underway, you may want to include a local employer or representative of a local service organization to offer input about community and employment needs.
5. How long does it take to plan a program?
This is a difficult question as every program is different. On average, most programs that are able to hit the ground running, have taken a minimum of a year to plan. Early planning provides the team with the time to conduct a thorough needs assessment, engage the needed representation on the planning team, address budget concerns, and do the nitty gritty work that always takes longer than you anticipate. A word to the wise, most likely, even with the best planning, you will not be able to overcome 100% of the barriers. Have faith that you will be able to address them eventually and continue to move forward. The planning will go smoother if there is a central person assigned to oversee the planning activities. Once planning has commenced, it helpful to identify the program teacher or coordinator early on, so that they can be privy to all of the considerations that occurred during planning and get a clear understanding of the mission. Additionally, the program teacher or coordinator needs time to become familiar with the college, its policies, personnel, and resources. We recommend that the planning team continue to meet after the program commences in an advisory capacity. Too often teams put a lot of energy in up front, but fail to continue to provide support once the program launches. It will often take a program a few years to work out the kinks and to streamline procedures. It is best to create a forum through which problems and concerns can be addressed proactively on a regular basis.
6. How much does it cost to start a program?
Start up costs for a program will vary. The number of students to be served will influence the cost of a program. Often fledgling programs will start with small number of students (8 -12) and then build their numbers over time. Staffing is also a factor. Students in these programs are ultimately expected to have a good deal of independence. But many at the outset will still require support. Staffing should be at a level that allows for independent and small group instruction. In many cases, new positions are not funded to start a program. Instead, school systems reconfigure their budgets and staff and transfer them to the new location. Other areas that must be addressed include cost of space if rent is involved, cost of equipment (fax machine, copying costs, computer, cell phones), supplies, food (if students receive free and reduced lunch), cost of student classes (if school system will be paying). Often transportation is the most costly element of starting a new program. You should work with your transportation department to determine if routes need to be altered, or if students can all be bussed from one central location. This cost can be minimized if students are able to access public transportation to get to and from their program, but this may also add upfront staffing costs as students will need to be travel trained. Parking for staff may also be an issue. Obviously the cost of these items will vary depending on the system and the college.
7. What does a student's schedule look like?
Students' schedules should be individualized based upon their needs, interests, strengths, and preferences. They will also be impacted by course availability, employment schedules, and availability of and access to transportation. One student may be going to work for the majority of the week and attend one class two days a week. That may be the only time that student comes to campus. Another student may be take two classes a week, and have independent learning in the computer lab or library for a portion of the day. It is important that students make and maintain their own schedules and have a copy of it with them every day. In addition, staff should maintain and post a master schedule listing not only where students are, but also which staff member (other support person) is with the student. A part of the day or week can be designated as a time to update schedules. For examples of student schedules see the resources below.
It is just as important for staff to have a clear schedule and set of expectations. Creating a staff schedule and a responsibility chart may clarify who is responsible for each program activity. A sample staffing chart is provided in the resource section.
8. Who pays for tuition?
Different school systems and colleges have handled the issue of tuition in a variety of ways. In some cases, students are responsible to pay their tuition, just like any other college student would. If students are taking classes at a community college, it might be possible to have their tuition waived, if they are eligible for supplemental security income (SSI) through the Social Security Administration. If this is the case, students are still required to pay for their fees and books. If students are taking courses that will assist them in obtaining employment, vocational rehabilitation may assist with tuition. Some colleges may provide access to a class without tuition, but usually students in this situation are considered ³visitors² to the class and are therefore not afforded the same opportunities as a registered student. If students are interested in taking courses to improve academic skills, many community colleges offer Adult Basic Education courses at no cost. Some school systems have paid for students' courses, but this is often cost prohibitive for programs that have large numbers of students. Additionally, the purpose of programs in postsecondary settings is to teach students how to access postsecondary education. Part of that process is learning how to pay for courses, just like other adult learners.
9. What kinds of classes do students take?
Students have taken all kinds of classes, though initially some students are most comfortable taking classes that are non-academic in nature. Students have taken classes related to physical fitness, such as water aerobics or weight training, or those classes related to the arts, such as music appreciation, painting, and piano. In some cases students are interested in courses that will potentially assist them in employment, such as courses in word processing or office skills. Finally, there are students who wish to pursue introductory courses in math or in reading that will serve as prerequisites to future courses.
In some cases, the topic of the class is less important than who is teaching the course. Sometimes students will choose a class based upon the instructor's style or receptivity to providing instruction to a student with a different learning style. Speak with current college students to gain insight about which instructors might be a good match and which one might be good to avoid.
If a student's options are limited either due to the course offerings or conflicts with a work schedule, other options can be explored. Looking into adult basic education courses offered locally or looking into classes sponsored by the park and recreation department are other avenues that students can pursue. Learning the process of how to access a course can be just as important as taking the class. Students should be exposed to all possible adult-learning options so that they can access them on their own or with limited support in the future.
10. What types of transition/IEP goals do students have?
Students' IEP goals should be directly related to their personal goals and their activities in the program at the college. Too often students leave their high school with IEP goals that are not reflective of the skills and abilities students need to focus on in a postsecondary setting. Students' goals should relate to accessing college courses, understanding their support needs, obtaining and maintaining employment, or expanding or improving their social network. For example, ³Shanna will obtain and maintain a 20 hour a week position in a clerical setting², ³John will register for one course per semester at the college² or ³Felicity will participate in a college club or organization that meets at a minimum two times per month.² Another area that is vital to students succeeding in a college setting is their ability to be self-determined. All too often we assume that students will develop basic self-determination skills (i.e. self knowledge, decision making, problem solving, goal setting) without direct instruction. To ensure that students have the support they need to develop these skills, self-determination goals should be incorporated into a student's IEP. It is easy to include self-determination skills into the students' IEPs. Students can develop a better understanding of their personal learning styles and support needs. Other IEP goals might relate to monitoring their progress toward a personal goal and sharing their findings during an IEP meeting. An article about how to incorporate self-determination in an IEP is provided in the Resources section below.
RESOURCES
Online Resources
Needs Assessment Online Training Module
Documents/Publications
Postsecondary Education Options for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (PDF)
Benefits to Colleges (MS Word)
Sample Student schedules (MS Word)
Promoting Student Self-Determination Skills in IEP Planning (PDf)