Think College! Postsecondary Education Options for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

As the Higher Education Opportunity Act opens the door to more options and supports, more and more students with intellectual disabilities are "thinking college." That means high schools, colleges, and universities must be fully prepared to meet the needs of students with disabilities--and this comprehensive resource is just what they need. Developed by two of the most respected experts on this hot topic, this book uncovers the big picture of today's postsecondary options and reveals how to support students with disabilities before, during, and after a successful transition to college. Throughout the book, vignettes and first-person narratives from students and families underscore the benefits and challenges of PSE, and detailed profiles of real programs illustrate what a wide range of postsecondary options look like. Readers will also get the helpful tools they need to create effective programs and ease students' transition to PSE, including a self-advocacy checklist, a program evaluation tool, sample student schedules, and a college-planning checklist for students and families. Chapters of this book include: (1) Postsecondary Education: The Next Frontier for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (Meg Grigal, Debra Hart and Maria Paiewonsky); (2) The Role of Legislation, Advocacy, and Systems Change in Promoting Postsecondary Opportunities for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (Stephanie Smith Lee and Madeleine Will); (3) The Spectrum of Options--Current Practices (Debra Hart and Meg Grigal); (4) Local School System Perspectives (Maria Paiewonsky and Jerri Roach Ostergard); (5) College Perspectives and Issues (Laura Eisenman and Karen Mancini); (6) Student and Family Perspectives (Amy Dwyre, Meg Grigal, and Janice Fialka); (7) Critical Components for Planning and Implementing Dual Enrollment and Other Postsecondary Education Experiences (Meg Grigal and Debra Hart); (8) The Missing Link: The Importance of Employment (Meg Grigal and Debra Hart); (9) Preparing for What? Postsecondary Education Employment and Community Participation (Richard Luecking); and (10) What the Future Holds (Meg Grigal and Debra Hart.)