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AbstractThe authors present findings from a 2009 survey of postsecondary education (PSE) programs for students with an intellectual disability (ID) conducted in the United States. The survey was designed to collect descriptive information on characteristics and practices of existing PSE programs for students with an ID. The survey consisted of 63 items organized into 10 sections including: institution or program characteristics, dual enrollment characteristics, referral and application process, college course access and supports, employment, residential options and campus access, family support, student outcomes, challenges, and program contact information. Some 149 programs in institutions of higher education in 39 states indicated that they served students with ID. PSE program characteristics included basic characteristics, recruitment and admission, course access, campus activities, accommodations, funding, collaboration, employment, and residential services. The results of the survey show that for students with an ID, the college experience differs in a number of important ways from the experiences of their peers without an ID. The high degree of variability among programs responding to the survey suggests that the experiences of students with ID differ from one program to another as well. The authors note that their findings can be used to describe current practice as well as to serve as a baseline of practice that will be important to reference as the field evolves.

Due to changes in legislation and policy in the United States, higher education has become more available to people with intellectual disability (ID). Currently, over 6000 students with ID are enrolled in 310 colleges and universities. In the past decade, the federal government has invested over 100 million dollars in a model demonstration program aimed at institutions of higher education to create, expand, or enhance high-quality, inclusive higher education experiences to support positive outcomes for individuals with ID. This article will describe the impetus and impact of this funding as well as related changes in policy and practice. With the emergence of these opportunities, a field of research has emerged, offering new knowledge about what higher education can offer to students with ID as well as the positive impact these students have on their peers, professors, and campus communities. We have also begun to see documentation of more long-term impacts of higher education on students' employment, independent living outcomes, and life satisfaction. By describing these policy, practice, and research developments, this article will provide readers with a better understanding of the background, current status, and future needs of the field of inclusive higher education for people with ID in the United States and potential takeaways for similar stakeholders in other countries.

What key issues and challenges affect the lives of people with severe disabilities todayâ€"and what should tomorrow's professionals do to address them? Aligned with the core values and agenda of TASH, this visionary text prepares professionals to strengthen supports and services for people with disabilities across the lifespan. Readers will fully examine more than a dozen critical topics in the lives of people with severe disabilities; explore necessary reforms to policy and practice; and set clear goals and priorities for improving early intervention, education, health care, behavior suppor