'Realize That Students Are Capable': Perspectives of Students with Intellectual Disability on Their College Experiences. Insight: A Think College Brief on Policy, Research, & Practice. Issue No. 60

As the enrollment of students with intellectual disability in colleges and universities increases, so does the need to evaluate existing postsecondary education programs for students with intellectual disability from multiple perspectives. These programs are designed for students with intellectual disability, and the perspectives of students with intellectual disability should be at the center of program development, evaluation, and improvement. Implementation of new and revised programming elements should support students' postsecondary education and employment desires, individual autonomy, and overall personal development. Findings from postsecondary education research that include the voices and/or perspectives of students with intellectual disability are especially useful in understanding aspects of programs that enable independence and support a pathway for sustainable employment and career building for students with intellectual disability. As programs are developed and evaluated, students' perspectives must be considered on known program elements that work well and elements that need improvement. To support the consideration of student voices in program development and evaluation, the authors conducted a brief literature review of articles that included the voices and perspectives of college students or college graduates with intellectual disability. The aim of this review was to identify common program elements or experiences that students: (1) reflected on positively; and/or (2) could be improved upon. In this Insight Brief, the authors summarize the findings from their research review. They end with a summary of recommendations made by or based on the perspectives of students with intellectual disability that can be used to improve postsecondary education programs.