Each year, the TASH Conference brings together a diverse community of stakeholders who gain information, learn about resources, and connect with others across the country to strengthen the disability field. This year’s conference theme, “Be Creative - Innovative Solutions for an Inclusive Life,” reminds us to think outside the box during times of uncertainty. Creativity, innovation, and determination can pave the way for meaningful and inclusive lives for people with disabilities.
Higher education programs across the country are breaking new ground in supporting students with intellectual disability in going to college. Data from the TPSID model demonstration program for students with intellectual disability shows that students have accessed thousands of inclusive college courses since 2010. Yet too many programs feel the need to still offer separate courses using a specialized curriculum. This session will present emerging research on the importance of inclusive college courses and share examples of innovative practices that create inclusive college course access. One higher education program at Portland State University will present their approach to creating an authentic inclusive postsecondary education. A self-advocate will speak about the importance of being included in higher education. An overarching theme for this presentation is a call for an end to the use of segregated instruction in higher education. We challenge attendees to be creative and find innovative solutions to teaching foundational skills for college success in naturally occurring settings. The purpose of this session is to advocate for increased efforts to support students with intellectual disability, many of whom have significant disabilities, to access an inclusive college course of study and to end practices that result in the segregation of college students with intellectual disability into separate classes using a specialized curriculum. Higher education for students with intellectual disability (ID) has evolved from a strongly family- and self-advocate led grassroots effort to a national movement guided by legislation, the Higher Education Opportunities Act 2008. Opportunities exist for students with significant support needs to attend college as a result of both grassroots and legislative advocacy and activism. These efforts are effecting change in higher education. Yet there is great variability in the extent to which higher education programs serving students with intellectual disability are inclusive. Emerging research is demonstrating statistically meaningful evidence that separate instruction in segregated courses does not support students to obtain meaningful inclusive life outcomes, therefore arguments that students with intellectual disability need separate and special life skills, career development, or social skills instruction delivered in group settings are false. Moreover, teaching college students with intellectual disability in segregated, group instruction goes against the concept of accessing higher education as a way to continue learning with same-age peers in order to achieve inclusive post-college outcomes just like their peers without disabilities. In this session, we call for an end to segregated instruction in higher education, in direct alignment with TASH’s mission to “promote the full inclusion and participation of children and adults with significant disabilities in every aspect of their community, and to eliminate the social injustices that diminish human rights.” As with TASH’s mission, we realize this effort through education and research, and we offer examples of “Individualized, quality supports” that can be used “in place of congregate and segregated settings and services.” Segregation is no longer viewed as acceptable in K-12 education, segregation is no longer acceptable in employment, and segregation is no longer acceptable in community living — therefore it is more than time to end segregation in higher education.
