Developmentally Disabled Have New Options for Higher Education

By Lauren Monsen, Washington File

Academic Programs for Students With Down Syndrome are on The Rise in U.S.

Over the past two decades, many public schools in the United States have begun integrating developmentally disabled children into regular classroom settings with their nondisabled peers: a trend known as "mainstreaming."

The result of this trend, say analysts, has been greater public acceptance of the disabled - and a greater understanding of what mentally handicapped students can achieve in terms of academic performance. While advocates for the disabled recognize that a student's limitations are dictated by the degree of disability involved, and that only certain levels of disability can be accommodated within the public-school system, most argue that mainstreaming initiatives often have helped these children to surpass society's expectations for the intellectually impaired.

Until recently, it was widely assumed that the developmentally disabled - such as those with Down syndrome, a chromosomal anomaly that produces various degrees of mental retardation - had no realistic hope of formal education beyond high school.

Until now, that is.

Thanks in large part to the determined efforts of advocates for disabled students, several U.S. colleges and universities are implementing programs to offer educational opportunities for mentally handicapped secondary-school graduates. The curriculum of each program may vary, but most have a dual focus on academics and on life skills that will prepare students to live more independently. One such program was introduced at George Mason University (GMU) in Fairfax, Virginia, during the 2002-2003 school year; the GMU program is currently in its fourth year of operation.

GMU's "Learning Into Future Environments" (LIFE) program is administered by the Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human Disabilities, which is part of the university's College of Education and Human Development. Claire Talbert, coordinator of the LIFE program, explained in a January 9 interview that LIFE students are in the 18- to 22-year-old age range when they first enroll, and they attend classes on the GMU campus, which provides them with a college environment designed to enhance their educational experience.

Eligibility for the LIFE program is determined by a number of factors. During the initial phase of the application process, said Talbert, program administrators interview prospective students and their families. Next, prospective students "spend the day with us to see how they fit in with the program, and then, decisions are made" about which applicants to accept, she said.

Six Applicants Per Year Chosen for GMU Program

School officials assess which students are most likely to profit from the LIFE program, based on an applicant's learning needs and desire to enroll - as well as the ability of the LIFE program to meet the applicant's needs and goals, and the applicant's perceived ability to achieve his or her goals within the context of the program. Six applicants are accepted for each new academic year.

"There are three components to the program: literacy, which encompasses reading, writing, math and technology; independent living skills, including cooking, menu planning, healthy eating, doing laundry, using public transportation, balancing a checkbook - anything that would help [students] live more independently; and employability training," which imparts skills that assist students in finding a job, said Talbert.

In addition, nondisabled students may serve as mentors to students enrolled in the LIFE program. Regular interaction between LIFE students and the rest of GMU's student body promotes a sense of inclusion in campus activities, so that mentally handicapped students benefit socially as well as academically from their post-secondary scholastic experience.

Although the four-year LIFE program does not award academic degrees, students who successfully complete the program receive certificates, and Talbot said that a two-year post-graduate program currently is being developed.

GMU is among the growing number of U.S. schools that have started to offer expanded educational opportunities for the mentally handicapped. A December 2005 Chicago Tribune article said more than 90 programs at two- and four-year colleges have been launched for students with developmental disabilities.

Tuition for such programs can be high, sometimes rivaling the cost of a traditional degree program. Also, critics express fears that these programs can create unrealistic expectations for developmentally disabled students and their families, but advocates for the disabled claim that post-secondary programs are the next logical step for students who have been mainstreamed successfully through their secondary-school years. A modified curriculum that accommodates a mix of academics, life skills, and vocational training is needed to help the mentally handicapped reach their full potential, advocates argue.

More information on the Helen Kellar Institute is available on the institute's Web site.

Source: U.S. Department of State

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