The question of how to pay for college is on everyone’s mind. No single solution is going to work for all students. In this webinar, the Think College National Coordinating Center’s (NCC) Cate Weir will share information on several funding options for students and families to explore. Cate will share details about the funding sources and discuss the conditions under which available funding possibilities may be an option. 

There are numerous scholarships available for students with intellectual disabilities (ID), but sometimes it can be hard to find the ones that apply to your situation. In this How to Think College publication, we have identified some scholarships that are appropriate for students with disabilities who are pursuing a non-degree program. Download and read the publication here.

For each Think College webinar, we summarize key takeaways and post them as stand-alone publications. Check out the latest summaries from webinars on 1) faculty tips for student engagement and 2) microcredentials and digital badging.

How can we raise awareness about inclusive postsecondary education opportunities for students with intellectual disability? Post about it, record a video, send an email, text your friends... whatever you do, use #IPSEDay2022 so the whole world can learn more about the potential of students with ID. On May 15, and the days leading up to it, we want you to write messages, share videos, and post photos of yourself on social media stating why IPSE is important to you. Visit our website for additional information, downloadable logos, text you can use for an email or other announcement, and photos of some of our staff getting ready for the big day. We can’t wait to see why IPSE is important to you! 

The NCC Accreditation Workgroup is now working on finalizing a draft guidance manual in addition to continuing work on recruitment criteria for the upcoming accreditation process pilots, beginning in September 2022. We hope all programs will continue to think about ways to use these standards with the great tools created by the NCC team. The next NCC Accreditation Workgroup meeting is in mid-May. Work group chairs and members are also preparing to present on accreditation at two upcoming conferences: 1) Division on Career Development and Transition in May and 2) Southeast Postsecondary Education Alliance (SEPSEA) in June.

This report provides both program and student data. Program data illustrates program characteristics, academic access, supports for students, and integration of the program within the college or university as well as information on the strategic partnerships and financial sustainability of the programs. Student data reflect student demographics, course enrollments, employment activities, and engagement in student life.

Can you help my college develop an inclusive postsecondary program for students with intellectual disability (ID)? Find out the answer.

Taking risks is hard, but making mistakes helps us grow. In this video, Max Barrows from Green Mountain Self-Advocates describes the concept of dignity of risk from the perspective of someone with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD). Watch now.

The title says it all! This chart identifies expectations for students entering college as freshmen. It also includes advice on what middle and high school students with ID, their teachers, and their parents can do to prepare for those expectations.

Learn about activities related to inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) for students with ID in your state by visiting What’s Happening in Your State on the Think College website. Click your state for information about state legislation, statewide organizations for IPSE, and contact information for someone you can talk to.

Think College intern Rachel Adams-Duffy had the opportunity to interview Liz Weintraub who she has long admired and respected. As Rachel said, the experience interviewing Liz had to be one of her most favorite days. Read Rachel’s reflections.

To really affect change in inclusive postsecondary education, it's important to understand what's going on at the local, state, and national levels. Fortunately, Cate Weir is here to guide you. Read her blog post to learn more.

This Affinity Group is designed for people interested in using technology and universal design for learning to support students of all abilities in higher education. The activities of the group include discussion and demonstration of new and emerging technologies and techniques, review of existing apps, software, and programs, and whatever other activities the group desires.

For a better sense of the format of a group, watch this Affinity Group Short. It is an 8-minute clip from a presentation/discussion on using technology to help students navigate their campus and community using Google My Maps. Click here to visit the Technology and UDL Affinity Group page or sign up now to receive announcements.

Find more information about the Transition Leadership Program and the application process on the Transition Leadership Program webpage.

A shout out to the Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative (MAICEI) celebrating its 15th year providing inclusive college-based transition services to students with ID. Fourteen public colleges and universities across the state partner with over 100 local school districts to provide students with inclusive postsecondary education, career development, and opportunities for campus engagement. Students report loving the opportunity to take college classes, meet with peer mentors, work on campus, and take advantage of campus happenings. Congratulations, MAICEI! Keep up the good work.

Future Quest Island-Explorations (FQI-E) is seeking grade 3-5 teachers to implement an online, game-based college and career awareness curriculum for their federally funded research study. FQI-E is an exciting way for students to explore dozens of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics) careers.

If you would like to help us test the impact on students’ outcomes this fall, please take a look at our research study website at www.fqie.net. Participating educators will receive access to the curriculum, teacher professional development, earbuds, gift cards, and signed books by New York Times best-selling author, Peter H. Reynolds. Email Lori Cooney at [email protected] for more information.

The Think College Inclusive Higher Education Network’s Employment Partnerships Collaborative Workgroup held their first meeting on April 6, 2022. Membership includes representation from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, and inclusive postsecondary education program personnel, among others. The workgroup leaders facilitated a great discussion allowing for many perspectives to be shared