U.S. Department of Education

Office of Postsecondary Education

FY 2015 TPSID (84.407A) Funded Abstracts

1

P407A150066 - Jacksonville State University

Jacksonville, Alabama

Project Title: On to Jacksonville State University (JSU)

Project Director: Janet Bavonese-jbavonese@jsu.edu

This proposal describes a Transition Program for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID). The proposed 

program, On To JSU will offer students with intellectual disabilities an opportunity to transition to higher 

education and practice life-skills to help prepare them for a career in food service or business jobs. On To JSU 

answers a need identified through Jacksonville State University’s work in an existing program, Transition 

University (TU). The existing TU program represents a partnership between JSU’s College of Education and 

Professional Studies and Local Education Partners (LEA). Through the work in this program, JSU special 

education teacher candidates and their professors interacted with high schools students with disabilities to 

provide a transition program that takes place on the university campus. High school students with intellectual 

disabilities desire the same career and socialization that their nondisabled peers can access. Noting the need for 

a postsecondary option for students with intellectual disabilities, JSU proposes the On To JSU program as a 

possible option for improving the economic and independent lifestyle options for students with intellectual 

disabilities. Six goals/objectives have been identified as guideposts for the On To JSU program:

1. Provide an on-campus postsecondary higher education experience for students with ID

2. Students with ID will participate in academic classes with nondisabled peers (audit, credit)

3. Students with ID will actively participate in campus social events with nondisabled peers.

4. Students with ID will reside on campus.

5. Students with ID will complete an internship one of two areas: food service or business basics

6. Institutionalize stand-alone support services for students with intellectual disabilities

On To JSU Activities Implemented

1. On To JSU Program Manager will administrate program, including liaison with internal/external 

partners

2. Transition University will continue and expand with On To JSU activities

3. Special education teacher candidates will participate in both the original TU and the On To JSU program

4. Students with intellectual disabilities will be matched with a Peer Mentor for academic and social 

support and participate in an on-campus experience while earning one of two certificate options (food

service, business basics)

5. Monthly On To JSU support meetings will be conducted and social events organized for participants and 

nondisabled peers

6. Special education teacher candidates will organize regular On To JSU campus-wide education programs 

to recruit peer mentors and teach others about students with intellectual disabilities

Overall, the success of On To JSU will depend on internal and external partnerships. Jacksonville State 

University regularly partners with a number of external agencies that will be relevant to this program: 

Opportunity Center-Easter Seal, Alabama Department of Rehabilitative Services, Alabama Council on 

Developmental Disabilities, Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Calhoun County Schools, Cleburne County 

Schools, Piedmont City Schools, Anniston City Schools, Gadsden City Schools, Etowah County Schools, 

Oxford City Schools, Arc of Calhoun/Cleburne Counties, City of Jacksonville AL, Disability Employment 

Initiative, and others.
2

P407A150078 - University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa, Alabama 

Project Title: CrossingPoints: A Crimson Tide Model and Pipeline for 

Inclusive Higher Education

Project Director: Kagendo Mutua-kmutua@ua.edu

The overarching purpose of the proposed CrossingPoints Model Project is to enhance and extend the scope of 

services and opportunities for accessing higher education by students with intellectual disabilities within an 

existing high quality inclusive transition and postsecondary program at The University of Alabama. The 

proposed CrossingPoints Model will be a two-tier program providing inclusive comprehensive transition and 

postsecondary education to college age students with intellectual disabilities. The Department of Special 

Education and Multiple Abilities in the College of Education at The University of Alabama will carry out the 

project. To support students with intellectual disabilities who are still eligible for special education and related 

services under IDEA to participate in the model, The University of Alabama will partner with the Tuscaloosa 

City Schools (TCS) and the Tuscaloosa County School System (TCSS).

Tier 1 of the CrossingPoints Model will serve students with significant intellectual disabilities ages 18-21 years 

who are still eligible for special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education 

Act (IDEA). Tier 1 participants will be recruited exclusively from TCS and TCSS. Tier 1 services will be 

provided during the regular Academic Year. On the other hand, CrossingPoints Model Tier 2 will comprise a 

pipeline program for students with intellectual disabilities age 18+years formerly eligible for special education

services under IDEA who wish to pursue postsecondary education in a two-year, four-year or comprehensive 

IHE. They will participate in an intensive summer bridge program that will be an opportunity to deepen and 

hone their self-advocacy and self-determination skills in order to function with a greater degree of independence 

in areas of independent living, employment, social integration, and academics in one of three local IHEs of their 

choice with follow-along services provided by CrossingPoints personnel. An approximate grand total of 120 

students with intellectual disabilities (~70 from Tier 1 and 50 from Tier 2) will be served over the five-year 

project duration.

The specific goals of the project are as follows:

Goal 1: To enhance and implement a model inclusive comprehensive transition and postsecondary program for 

students intellectual disabilities.

Goal 2: To establish and maintain interagency collaboration in order to secure essential linkages and systems of 

support for students with intellectual disabilities and their families

Goal 3: To facilitate the achievement by students with intellectual disabilities and their families of desired 

postsecondary educational and quality of life post-school outcomes that reduce school drop-out rate, create 

opportunities for productive community participation, develop independent living skills, and promote integrated 

employment

Goal 4: To contribute to the professional knowledge base and improve transition practices by determining the 

effectiveness of the program and its components through the use of multiple measures, and producing detailed

procedures that will enable other professionals to replicate the model.
3

P407A150076 - University of South Alabama

Mobile, Alabama 

Project Title: PASSAGE USA: Preparing All Students Socially and 

Academically for Gainful Employment at the University of South Alabama

Project Director: Deborah Musgrove-dmusgrove@southalabama.edu

PASSAGE USA has three objectives: improve the transition process and expectations for employment and 

postsecondary education for K-12 students with ID in local school districts through the engagement of parents, 

teachers, and students in the transition planning process; provide an inclusive, college residential, certificate 

program for young adults with ID focused on improving independent living and gainful employment; and build 

capacity at USA and in the Mobile community to meet the needs of young adults with ID. PASSAGE USA staff 

will include three faculty in special education (PI and Co-PIs) and a Project, Community, and Employment

Coordinators (all full-time) and three half-time graduate assistants. An Advisory Board will be formed and will 

meet regularly.

PASSAGE USA will improve of high school transition in multiple public school systems in south Alabama 

through the use of person-centered planning, training on postsecondary outcomes, and improved participation of 

students with intellectual disabilities and their parents in the transition process.

PASSAGE USA will also create a two-year college certificate program for young adults with intellectual 

disabilities at the University of South Alabama. The two-year certificate program will lead to the PASSAGE 

USA Certificate, a credential which will be recognized by local employers. In the certificate program personcentered planning will be used to develop an Adult Education Plan which will contain academic, social, selfadvocacy, self-determination, independent living, community engagement, and vocational skills. Certificate 

program participants will work on these individual goals, take academic and non-academic classes at the 

University, live on-campus, and participate in extracurricular activities in the university and Mobile 

communities. Competency-based assessment will be used to ascertain the accomplishment of individualized 

goals. Attainment of individualized goals, successful completion of at least seven classes (credit or non-credit 

bearing) and successful extended internship and work experiences will lead to awarding of the PASSAGE USA 

Certificate at commencement exercises. PASSAGE USA Certificate Program participants will be supported by 

multiple peer mentors in academic, residential, employment, and community integration environments. During 

the funding period at least 40 young adults will participate in the certificate program. By the end of the funding 

period, 30 of them will have earned the PASSAGE USA Certificate. PASSAGE USA will also provide training 

on supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities to peer mentors and on using universal design for 

learning university faculty. PASSAGE USA will also build capacity at the University and in our community to 

meet the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities. PASSAGE USA will also involve the Mobile 

business community as well as many individuals within our community.

PASSAGE USA partners include:

• University of South Alabama

• Mobile County Public School System,

• Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services’ Vocational Rehabilitation Service

• Mobile ARC
4

P407A150050 - California State University-Fresno

Fresno, California 

Project Title: The Wayfinders Program

Project Director: Shail Lopez-Ortiz-slopezortiz@csufresno.edu

The Fresno State campus with 21,500 students and 1138 faculty serves the six counties of the

San Joaquin Valley of California (24,603 square miles) - an area almost the size of the State of South Carolina. 

It is both a Minority Institution of Higher Education with a cumulative 65.2 percent minority student enrollment 

and a Hispanic Serving Institution with 34.6 percent Hispanics.

Wayfinders Program

The goal of this project is to enhance and expand the Wayfinders program that promotes successful transition of 

students with intellectual disabilities into higher education, independent living, and finally into the workplace 

through person centered planning.

Wayfinders is a collaborative effort between California State University and California DDS agencies, to 

establish a postsecondary educational and independent living program. Over the past five years it has 

successfully focused on individuals, from ages 18 to 28 with intellectual disabilities. Currently there are 30 

students enrolled in the program. Wayfinders has partnered with several departments on campus to provide an 

inclusive educational and independent living program focusing on leadership abilities, academic enrichment and 

vocational training.

Objective #1 – The project will partner with the Regional Center of California provide outreach of 

services, recruitment of students with intellectual disabilities, and will admit 100 students over the five

year grant cycle.

Objective #2 – The project will through person centered planning provide 100 percent support services, 

credentialed education and enrichment, social integration, and career development for the 100 students.

Objective #3 – The project will partner, collaborate, and coordinate evaluation and

activities with the Coordinating Center.

Objective #4 – The project will fund raise, submit grants, and will acquire local and

corporate sponsorship to sustain the project upon completion of this funding.

Wayfinders prepares the student for adult transition into an environment of their choosing where they will live 

as independently as possible and be gainfully employed. A proposal is in the final review stage at Fresno State 

to provide credentialing for the Certificate of Special Study in Academic and Career Advancement to be 

awarded to our students upon completion of the two-year program.

The program utilizes peers from different schools on campus to serve as mentors for their

students and promote full inclusion. Students reside in on-campus apartments consisting of four- bedroom, four 

bath units, with a common kitchen and living area. As apartment tenants the students utilize the large common 

student lounge area, conference rooms, and recreational facilities.

Wayfinders students are able to fully participate in and use other resources on campus, including the use of the 

health center, recreational and sports facilities, the library, numerous food service outlets, plus the computer and 

learning resource labs. Students with intellectual disabilites are referred to Wayfinders by the Regional Centers 

of California.
5

P407A150048 - Colorado State University

Fort Collins, CO

Project Title: Creating Higher-education Opportunities for Individualized 

Career and Employment Success

CHOICES

Project Director: Cathy Schelly-Catherine.Schelly@colostate.edu

The CHOICES Project will be implemented by the Center for Community Partnerships (CCP) in the 

Department of Occupational Therapy at Colorado State University (CSU). CHOICES will build on the CCP’s 

highly successful TPSID Opportunities for Postsecondary Success (OPS) program, by significantly expanding 

the scope of inclusive postsecondary transition programming for a large continuum of students with intellectual 

disabilities (ID) who “are or were formerly eligible for a Free and Appropriate Public Education under the 

IDEA.” A priority of the CHOICES project will be to ensure that students with ID and their families understand 

and proactively plan for their postsecondary education options, beginning as early as middle school. The 

CHOICES project will also offer a year-long, credit- bearing Empowerment Course for students with ID, 

providing postsecondary education and training through the CSU Division of Continuing Education. The 

Empowerment Course will include academic enrichment, person-centered planning, inclusive socialization and 

relationships, self-advocacy and leadership skill development, career exploration, and ultimately gainful 

employment that match each participant’s interests and unique abilities. For students attending Front Range 

Community College or CSU, a Bridge Program will be developed to help students with ID transition into those 

institutions. The Bridge Program will also feature employment and career skill building, which will help these 

students prepare for employment after college graduation.

As a national leader in Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the CCP will incorporate UDL principles 

throughout the Empowerment Curriculum, the Bridge Program, and in employment settings. A strong, thirtyyear partnership with key collaborators, including the Poudre School District, CSU Division of Student Affairs, 

CSU Resources for Disabled Students, CSU Counseling Center, CSU Career Center, Front Range Community 

College, and the CO Department of Education, as well as longstanding contracts with the CO Division for 

Developmental Disabilities and the CO Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, will ensure success and 

sustainability as students with ID pursue their postsecondary educational goals and receive meaningful 

credentials, certificates, and recognition for completing this model transition and postsecondary education 

program.

CHOICES project goals include:

1. Increase postsecondary education enrollment and persistence for students with intellectual 

disabilities through transition planning and orientation to higher education.

2. Provide increased postsecondary education and employment opportunities for 50 or more 

students with intellectual disabilities per year.

3. Evaluate the effectiveness of grant activities at meeting the CHOICES goals and objectives, and 

implement program improvements based on evaluation findings.

4. Promote far-reaching expansion of the CHOICES model and sustainability of project initiatives 

after grant funding has ended.
6

P407A150068 - University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida

Project Title: The Florida Consortium on Inclusive Higher Education

Project Director: Adam Meyer-Adam.Meyer@ucf.edu

The University of Central Florida (UCF) is partnering with the University of South Florida St. Petersburg

(USFSP), Florida International University (FIU), and the Florida State College of Jacksonville (FSCJ) to

form the Florida Consortium on Inclusive Higher Education, hereinafter referred to as the “Consortium.”

With UCF as the lead institution, the Consortium is applying for this federal grant to accomplish three major

objectives. First, the Consortium will expand the number of inclusive postsecondary education programs on

campuses across Florida for young adults with intellectual disabilities and their families. The Consortium

will provide targeted technical assistance, professional development, initial funding support, and shared

resources and strategies reflecting research-based methodologies and field best practices in the first year to over 

100 students with additional students and programs added each year. Secondly, the Consortium plans to

collaborate with all Florida postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities and other key

stakeholders to facilitate alignment of curriculum and credentialing among the institutions. The third major

objective of the Consortium is to develop a base of meaningful research in this area and to disseminate the

research through peer-reviewed articles, conference presentations, and training. To achieve these objectives, the

Consortium is partnering with the Florida Department of Education’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and

its Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services. The Consortium will also collaborate with other 

appropriate partners to design and deliver professional development, an annual symposium, strategic

program evaluation, and to ensure reporting to and collaboration with the national Transition Programs for

Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) Coordinating Center.
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P407A150079 - Georgia State University Research Foundation, Inc.

Atlanta, Georgia

Project Title: Building a Network of Sustainable TPSIDs in Georgia

Project Director: Daniel Crimmins- dcrimmins@gsu.edu

The Center for Leadership in Disability (CLD) at Georgia State University (GSU) proposes to lead a consortium 

of institutions of higher education (IHEs) in our state to support the creation and expansion of inclusive 

postsecondary education programs (IPSEs) that meet the highest standards for students with intellectual 

disabilities. Groundwork for this project began five years ago when CLD and its partners began to meet and 

formed what would become the Georgia Inclusive Postsecondary Education Consortium (GaIPSEC). Since 

then, the consortium has convened and provided technical assistance to IHEs interested in developing IPSEs, 

served as a conduit for development grants and feasibility studies, conducted awareness-level training, and 

advocated for legislative and relevant state agency funding.

The Model Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) funding 

requested will provide for a predictable but relatively modest level of support for program development that will 

greatly enhance our efforts to date. Funds will be used to significantly enhance the capacity of two programs at 

Columbus State University (CSU) and East Georgia State College (EGSC) (both of which admitted their first 

students in spring semester of 2015). In addition, CLD proposes to utilize the TPSID funding to support the 

establishment of four new programs within the first two years of the project at the University of Georgia (spring 

2016), GSU (fall 2016), and Albany Technical College (spring 2016), and Georgia Southern University (spring 

2017). In addition, GaIPSEC’s preliminary plans include supporting the establishment of two additional 

programs by the third year of the project at University of West Georgia and one other university (to be named). 

We also plan to support CSU in also developing a dual-enrollment IPSE program with the Muscogee County 

School District as their LEA partner in the third year. During the course of the project, GaIPSEC will 

collaborate with our state’s two-year and technical college system and their local educational agencies to 

develop a statewide model for dual-enrollment IPSE programs in at least two additional colleges. Our goal is to 

increase capacity from the current level of five new students served last year at CSU and ECGS to as many as 

100 new students per year in ten different IHEs programs by the end of the TPSID project funding cycle.

GaIPSEC will use an implementation science strategy to support all partnering IPSE programs to establish 

model comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs as defined in the funding announcement. 

Additionally, all will work with the National Coordinating Center to contribute to the broad national evaluation 

strategy and participate in the national student database. Further, IPSEs have committed to regular program selfassessment using the Think College Standards and have agreed to the goal of becoming Certified Transition 

Programs as described in the authorizing statute.

TPSID funding will also be used to support GaIPSEC as a state-level project lead. As such, GaIPSEC will 

continue to convene the participating programs, facilitate ongoing mutual support, conduct an annual capacity 

building conference, and provide technical assistance on topics such as person-centered planning, inclusive 

academic course, and integrated work experiences. CLD will also work with the NCC to ensure that Georgia 

programs connect with national resources. Finally, GaIPSEC and its partners will support the sustainability of 

participating postsecondary programs within Georgia through coordination with state agencies (including the 

Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency), work with advocacy organizations, and policy analysis to support 

the inclusion of students in existing funding streams or developing new streams to ensure that programs are 

available to interested students from all racial, ethnic, geographic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
8

P407A150067 - University of Hawaii

Honolulu, Hawaii

Project Title: Hawaii/Pacific TPSID, The DEIS Model Comprehensive 

Transition and Postsecondary Program 

Project Director: Kelly Roberts- robertsk@hawaii.edu

Purpose: Applying the principles of inclusion and self-determination, the Center on Disability Studies (CDS) at 

the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM) proposes to enhance and expand the highly successful model 

demonstration project “Dual Enrollment with Individualized Supports (DEIS) Comprehensive Transition and 

Postsecondary Program (CTPP). The proposed project will enhance the inclusive support model demonstrated 

during the past TPSID funding cycle by introducing additional components and further demonstrating the 

efficacy/effectiveness of the model. We propose to expand and scale-up the promising transition services and 

supports within the campuses of the University of Hawai‘i system and outer Pacific, resulting in improved 

employment and independent living outcomes for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID).

Project Services: The Hawai‘i/Pacific Basin proposal has been designed by the CDS and its consortium 

partners, to enhance and further expand and scale-up a sustainable, comprehensive transition model supporting 

eligible students with ID. Students will receive assistance within an inclusive support structure while pursuing a 

postsecondary education program of study, that: 1) includes individualized supports and services for the 

academic and social inclusion of students with ID in academic courses, extracurricular activities, and other 

aspects of PSE; 2) offers opportunities for academic enrichment, socialization, independent living skills, 

including self-determination, and integrated work experiences and career skills that lead to gainful employment; 

and 3) integrates person centered planning in the development of the course of study specific to each student. 

The interagency partnership protocol will guide the participation, role definition, and fiscal/service provision 

alignment of each of the three primary partners (DOE, PSE/CC, DVR) and the person centered planning 

protocol will guide the individual student planning and service delivery aspects of the model.

Project Goals: Goal I: Refine and Enhance strategies that indicated promise during the past five year TPSID 

model demonstration; Goal II: Expand and Scale-up promising model strategies with the addition of four new 

sites within the University of Hawai‘i Community College system (UHCC) (ensured statewide coverage with a 

total of seven sites) and provide technical assistance to two sites in the outer Pacific Basin (Northern Marianas 

College and American Samoa Community College); Goal III: Establish Pacific Technical Assistance Center on 

Transition (PTACT) and provide technical assistance and training to support 150 students with ID and their 

families over five project years; Provide Training and Technical Assistance to scale-up demonstration model 

components and strategies at three existing sites, and four new sites within the UHCC system and within two 

potential sites in the outer Pacific. Goal IV: Conduct a rigorous evaluation to determine the 

effectiveness/efficacy of the training and TA approach and materials to support scaling-up, using valid 

qualitative and quantitative process and outcome measures of post-school success. Goal V: Disseminate and 

replicate project materials and products.

Participants: Participants in the model demonstration include: 150 students with ID ages 18-26. Each project 

year, the project will enroll 30 students with ID from feeder high schools (i.e., 15 students/site/year), who have 

not exited high school with same-age peers and who continue to be eligible for IDEA services, while indicating 

a desire to pursue postsecondary education.

Primary Consortium Partners: Educational Partners: UHCC system and campuses, Hawai‘i

Department of Education, HIDOE State and District Transition offices, Hawai‘i Division of

Vocational Rehabilitation, Hawai‘i Department of Human Services Developmental Disabilities

Division, and Hawaii Department of Health.
9

P407A150017 - University of Kansas Center for Research, Inc.

Lawrence, Kansas

Project Title: The KU Transition to Postsecondary Education for Youth with 

Intellectual Disabilities (KU-TPE) program

Project Director: Mary Morningstar- mmorningstar@ku.edu

The KU Transition to Postsecondary Education for Youth with Intellectual Disabilities (KU-TPE) model 

demonstration program is designed to ensure that students with ID have the opportunity to experience an 

inclusive PSE program which involves participating in all campus academic and student life activities. KU-TPE 

will ensure that students with ID experience high quality and fully inclusive work-based learning for successful 

inclusive employment outcomes. Core to all activities of KU-TPE is the emphasis on extending, and enhancing 

existing KU student educational support programs to include youth with ID, rather than creating new programs 

only for youth with ID. We will work closely with local school districts as well as KU Academic Affairs, 

Academic Achievement and Access Center, the Center for Educational Opportunity Programs, Student 

Involvement and Leadership Center, and other KU student programs. KU-TPE will ensure that youth with ID 

are fully included with the supports needed to participate in the KU experience. From this frame of reference, 

we propose to:

1. Enhance the individual supports and services available at KU to ensure inclusion across academic and 

student life of students with ID based upon a person-centered career planning approach. Students will

participate in a first semester of career planning through the University Career Center and KU First Year 

Experience to identify academic courses, extracurricular activities, and other programs and services at 

KU and the broader community that align with the student’s career pathway and program of study.

2. Expand upon KU’s rich student supports currently available to accommodate the unique learning, 

communication, and interpersonal needs of students with ID. We will expand existing faculty and 

student peer mentor and tutoring supports offered throughout KU (ie., Center for Teaching Excellence, 

Supplemental Instruction Leaders) incorporating a UDL framework to support academic engagement, 

learning processes, critical thinking, interpersonal engagement, integrated employment, and adult roles 

and responsibilities, including self-advocacy, health and wellness, transportation, community access, 

financial literacy, and community and civic engagement. The Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion 

will collaborate to develop a student-centered ability awareness program for all KU students.

3. Partner with two school districts with existing community transition (18-21) programs to support 

students with ID in KU-TPE, as well as expand services in years 2-5 to include young adults with ID 

from the Kansas City metropolitan area.

4. Use existing KU course and program options to offer inclusive and meaningful credential, KU’s 

Experiential Learning Certificate for students who complete the KU-TPE program.

5. Plan for sustainability of enhanced services through multiple avenues including a summer high school 

recruitment modeled and aligned with KU TRIO programs (such as Talent Search)

6. to outreach to Kansas City metropolitan and surrounding areas to recruit young adults with ID who have 

exited special education services, and expand family expectations.

7. Solidify sustained and meaningful partnerships with community agencies serving Kansans with ID 

including KS Rehabilitation Services, centers for independent living, developmental disabilities 

organizations, and supported employment agencies to ensure youth exit KU-TPE with integrated 

employment and the supports they need to work and live in their community.

8. Participate with the TPSID coordinating center in the evaluation of components.
10

P407A150069 - Bergen Community College

Paramas, New Jersey

Project Title: The Bergen Community College TPSID 2 project

Project Director: Tracy Rand-trand@bergen.edu

The Bergen Community College TPSID 2 project is a model comprehensive transition and postsecondary 

education program conducted in collaboration with the College of New Jersey. It will help students maximize 

potential to achieve personal and financial independence by integrating academic and social skills with 

vocational training options leading to gainful employment. A person-centered approach will help students to 

identify their personal academic and career goals, develop benchmarks for monitoring their own progress, and 

earn meaningful (i.e., national or industry recognized) credentials that can aid in attainment of gainful 

employment. The initiative integrates hands-on involvement from a range of supportive service agencies, 

employers, peer mentors, college faculty and advisors, and students themselves to help participants achieve 

individual development goals, continue their education, and obtain paid internships, apprenticeships, and jobs.

This proposed program builds upon the highly successful TPSID Turning Points project implemented by 

Bergen and its partners over the past five years. TPSID 2-Pathways to Independence extends that previous 

effort and builds a comprehensive transition model by attaining four key goals: 1) to provide students with ID a 

strong foundation of essential (including literacy, high school equivalence, and work readiness) skills and 

competencies needed to secure and retain jobs in high demand occupational areas within New Jersey; 2) to 

assist ID students in earning meaningful credentials to help advancement along a career Pathway towards 

higher-skill, higher-wage opportunities in areas of high demand industry sectors; 3) to engage employer 

partners, supportive services and families in collaborating with consortium members to identify occupational 

knowledge/skill/ability needs and address critical workforce shortages by actively supporting the initiative and 

hiring ID student participants; and 4) to develop a formal network of post-secondary and college programs 

within the tri-state region for the purposes of sharing information, conducting research in new practices, 

problem-solving issues of implementation, and synergistically expanding resources.

The project’s blended training program integrates intrusive student support services, incorporates “essential 

skills (academic, social, and workforce readiness) and aligns industry specific skills programming needed for 

employment in high growth industry sectors identified by the State of New Jersey Department of Labor and 

Workforce Development. Key student outcomes are stackable credentials and nationally recognized certificates, 

including Certified Nurse Assistant, Child Development Assistant, Certified Production Assistant, Culinary 

Certification, as well as other industry demand-driven emerging fields, as appropriate to individual student 

career interests.

The partnership includes Bergen Community College as lead agency, The College of New Jersey, NJ 

Department of Labor and Workforce Development Division of Vocational Rehabilitation; Bergen County 

Special Services, Bergen County Division of Special Services, secondary school districts, and employers.

Fifteen students will be enrolled and successfully complete the program for each of five years, for a total of 75.

Program capacity will strengthen over the grant funded period to allow for self-sustained continued growth 

following federal support.
11

P407A150057 - The Curators of the University of Missouri on behalf of UMKC

Kansas City, MO

Project Title: UMKC Pathways: Inclusion, Self-Determination, and 

Employment for People with Intellectual Disabilities

Project Director: Alexis N. Petri-petria@umkc.edu

The overall goal of the UMKC Pathways Project is “To enhance self-determination and career outcomes for 

individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through the creation of an inclusive, comprehensive 

postsecondary program at the University of Missouri Kansas City.” The proposed UMKC Pathways Program

will be an academically inclusive postsecondary education program for people with IDD that fosters selfdetermination and broadens participation of people of color and diverse ethnic backgrounds. UMKC has many 

existing structures that provide a strong foundation from which to grow this program. These existing resources 

in combination with additional program components developed through this initiative will create an 

infrastructure that will facilitate desired outcomes and sustain the program into the future.

UMKC Pathways will provide a two-year credential program that includes student learning outcomes across 

academic, vocational, social, and independent living domains with a particular emphasis on self-determination 

and employment. In addition, the project will provide a Bridge to College program to prepare high school 

students with IDD for successful transition to post-secondary education. Through their college experience, 

Pathways students will build capacity to set and work toward personal goals; build friendships; live 

independently; seek competitive employment; use technology; and navigate resources. Their families will have 

increased knowledge of how to support their family member with IDD through college, in finding employment, 

building self-determination, and supporting their community participation.

The target population is individuals with IDD, especially minority or economically disadvantaged individuals in 

the Kansas City urban core. The project will serve an estimated 90 students through the Bridge component and 

60 students in the certificate program. Participating partners include the UMKC - Institute for Human 

Development (Missouri’s UCEDD), the UMKC College of Arts & Sciences, the UMKC Psychology 

Department, UMKC Student Affairs, EITAS (the Jackson County DD agency), Missouri Vocational 

Rehabilitation, three local school districts, and local organizations including the YMCA and EXCEL (a local 

foundation). Project objectives are as follows:

1. To develop internal partnerships within UMKC and external partnerships with local educational 

agencies, agencies serving individuals with IDD, and community organizations which will provide 

ongoing guidance and support to the program.

2. To enhance self-determination and career outcomes through a program that focuses on the core domains 

of academics, employment, independent living, and socialization.

3. To develop a person-centered life plan with each program participant that creates a vision for the 

individual’s future and engages their family and personal support networks in working toward their 

goals.

4. To provide academic and social mentoring that supports the inclusion of students with IDD within 

academic courses and extracurricular activities.

5. To create a meaningful credential through a transcripted program certificate that is endorsed by UMKC 

and the Missouri Department of Higher Education.

6. To conduct program evaluations and develop/disseminate products that support program improvement 

and implementation at both the local and national levels.

7. To develop a financial and programmatic plan that provides for the ongoing support and sustainability of 

the program.
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P407A150026 - Syracuse University

Syracuse, New York

Project Title: InclusiveU: Increasing Access to Higher Education for Students 

with ID

Project Director: Beth Meyers- Bemyers@syr.edu

For six years the Taishoff Center has transitioned students with intellectual disabilities (ID) into an individually

designed inclusive education program at Syracuse University (SU). Building on the successes of this program

and SU’s international leadership in inclusive education, SU proposes a comprehensive TPSID plan called

InclusiveU, which will build capacity and expand participation, creating a demonstration program that will serve

as a model across the nation.

INCLUSIVEU GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Project Goal: Establish a model comprehensive transition and postsecondary program for students with ID at

SU’s Lawrence B. Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education.

Objective 1: Create service capacity for students with

ID through new programming with an enhanced

person-centered planning process focused on

academic courses and academic enrichment

Activities: Create programming for InclusiveU to

emphasize person-centered planning,self-direction,

inclusive higher education, work-based learning, and

transition services.

Objective 2: Increase student enrollment capacity

each year of the five-year period; students will

work toward a certificate in a specialized area of

study according to their individual interests.

Activities: Increase enrollment capacity forstudents with

ID pursuing meaningful certification in self-determined

inclusive academic and work-based learning programs.

Objective 3: Expand social and extracurricular

opportunities forstudentsthorough the Peer-to-Peer

Project and inclusion in student activities.

Activities: Emphasizing self-determination, build upon

Peer-to-Peer and develop other resources in tandem,

including on-campus housing.

Objective 4: Provide employment preparation

through an integrated career development and

internshipmodel.

Activities: Establish an internship and work-based model

within the programs and facilities of Syracuse University.

Objective 5: Strengthen the established partnership

with the Syracuse City School District and expand

that OnCampus partnership to include 3 other school

districts in Central New York.

Activities: Outreach to area school districts and

establishment of three new partnerships will, by the end

of the five-year project, quadruple the number of

OnCampusstudentsin InclusiveU.

Objective 6: Offer inclusive dorm experience in

which Inclusive U students live and study amongst

their university peers.

Students with ID will have the option of living in campus

housing, supported by an Inclusive Housing Director and

annual training of resident advisors and roommates.

Objective 7: Strengthen established partnerships with

service agencies and expand partnerships to include

new community agencies; blend and braid local,

state, and federal resources to make the program

sustainable after the grant period.

Activities: Build interagency systems for transitioning

students from secondary school to higher education and

from higher education to community-based adult

programs and services; establish shared resources and

proceduresto make InclusiveU sustainable.
13

P407A150042 - University of Rochester

Rochester, New York

Project Title: The Institute for Innovative Transition (IIT) at the University of 

Rochester (UR)

Project Director: Mock, Martha-mmock@Warner.Rochester.edu

The Institute for Innovative Transition (IIT) at the University of Rochester (UR) responds to the Absolute 

Priority by organizing a consortium of five institutions of higher education (IHE) at City University of New 

York — Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), College of Staten Island (CSI), Hostos 

Community College (HCC), Kingsborough Community College (KBCC) and Queens College (QC)—that will 

establish five model demonstration projects to promote the success of students with intellectual disabilities. The 

initiative responds to the Invitational Priority by extending and enhancing existing programs at four of these 

institutions, and building a program at one institution. Each IHE will partner with a DD agency (AHRC New 

York City) and with a Local Education Agency (NYCDE District 75).

The model demonstration projects developed by the New York City TPSID Consortium (NYCTC) at the five 

colleges will improve employment outcomes by increasing access to higher education for students with 

intellectual disabilities; however, each of the five projects will take a unique direction in developing an 

inclusive and meaningful college program. (1) BMCC will establish a program and provide access to noncreditand credit-bearing courses, career internships and campus activities through the support of undergraduate 

student mentors and develop a meaningful credential. (2) CSI will increase access to noncredit- and credit 

bearing college courses, career internships, and campus activities through the support of graduate and 

undergraduate student mentors and develop a meaningful credential. (3) HCC will increase access to noncreditand credit-bearing courses, career internships, and campus activities through the support of undergraduate 

student mentors and develop a meaningful credential. (4) KBCC will increase access to noncredit- and credit 

bearing courses, career internships, and campus activities through the support of undergraduate student mentors 

and develop a meaningful credential. (5) QC will increase access to credit-bearing college courses, career 

internships, and campus activities through the support of graduate and undergraduate student mentors, and 

develop a meaningful credential. All will increase employment outcomes by providing inclusive paid and 

nonpaid career internships on the campuses. All five TPSID model demonstration projects will align 

administrative and academic practices on the campuses to implement initiatives and ensure sustainability after 

completion of the grant period. The NYCTC will utilize best practices and strategies implemented by the 

Western NY TPSID Consortium implemented by IIT at UR. The NYCTC will serve at least 75 students 

annually, ages 18-28 with intellectual disabilities.

The consortium addresses Competitive Priority 1 through all five model demonstration TPSID projects by 

partnering with the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD, state DD agency) and 

ACESS-VR (vocational rehabilitation agency). OPWDD will continue providing supports to students it 

currently funds and will fund newly eligible students. ACESS-VR or OPWDD will provide employment 

supports to eligible students enrolled in a model demonstration TPSID project as resources allow. The 

consortium addresses Competitive Priority 2 through housing pilots at College of Staten Island and Queens 

College, the only two IHEs to offer on-campus housing. The consortium addresses Competitive Priority 3 

through all five projects, by involving students who are studying special education, general education, assistive 

technology, vocational rehabilitation, and related fields on every campus.

During the five-year grant period, the IIT at UR will provide leadership, planning assistance, training, technical 

assistance, coordination, data management and project evaluation to the five model demonstration projects. The 

request of $500,000 per year for each of five years will support the five model demonstration TPSID projects. 

The consortium will provide the required 25 percent ($166,666) annual cost share.
14

P407A150046 - Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina

Project Title: Appalachian State University Scholars with Diverse Abilities 

Program (SDAP) 

 

Project Director: Anna Ward- sdap@appstate.edu

Purpose: The purpose of the Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program is to provide a meaningful college 

experience for students with intellectual disabilities and to empower them to achieve gainful employment 

within their home community.

Target Population to Be Served: Individuals with intellectual disabilities are the target population. The

program currently serves six students and efforts are to expand that number to ten students served by year

five of the funded program.

Project Goals: Our goals are to: (a) continue the Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program; (b) build

university and community capacity through partnerships; (c) award meaningful certificates upon program 

completion; (d) provide high quality transition services to employment; (e) conduct continuous evaluation and 

quality improvement; and (e) establish program sustainability.

Activities to be Implemented: Over the five year grant performance period, the following activities will be

implemented: (a) recruit potential applicants through community and LEA partnerships; (b) conduct personcentered planning to determine career, personal, academic, and social goals for each SDAP student; (c)

deliver research based curriculum for academic enrichment, independent living skills, and career

development; (d) incorporate university students as mentors; (e) expand upon university housing options for

students; (f) establish program sustainability; and (g) conduct continuous program evaluation.

Project Outcomes: Significant project outcomes include: (a) SDAP students: increased employability,

broader understanding of careers and necessary soft skills, enhanced academic skills, improved selfdetermination, improved self-sufficiency, expanded social relationships, increased participation in 

recreational and leisure activities; (b) Appalachian State University: increased understanding of diversity,

expanded sense of community, and (c) State and region: established PSE option for eligible students,

improved candidate pool for employment.

Participating Partners: Partners in the Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program include: Avery County 

Schools, Watauga County Schools, Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, the Carolina

Institute for Developmental Disabilities, Parent to Parent Family Support Network, Watauga Opportunities 

Inc, NC Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Reich College of Education and the Department of 

Reading and Special Education.
15

P407A150053 - Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota

Project Title: Pennsylvania Inclusive Higher Education Consortium 

Project Director-Amy Armstrong- amy.armstrong@minotstateu.edu

Absolute Priority: Establish a model comprehensive transition and postsecondary program for students with 

intellectual disabilities.

Competitive Preference Priority 1: Form sustained and meaningful partnerships with relevant agencies 

serving students with intellectual disabilities.

Competitive Preference Priority 2: Provide institutionally owned or operated housing for students attending 

the institution integrating students with intellectual disabilities into the housing offered to all students. 

Competitive Preference Priority 3: Involve in the program undergraduate and graduate students who are 

special education, social work, or related fields.

Invitational Priority: To enhance an existing program.

Millersville University of Lancaster, Pennsylvania (MU) is proposing to collaborate with Penn State UniversityHarrisburg and Mercyhurst University to build the Pennsylvania Inclusive Higher Education Consortium, 

hereinafter referred to as the “Consortium.” The goal of this partnership to create a statewide consortium of 

postsecondary institutions of higher education dedicated to the mission of inclusive education for young adults 

with intellectual disabilities. The vision is to design and support postsecondary campus settings in which 

education, training, authentic social experiences, independent living and integrated and competitive 

employment can be accessed by young adults with intellectual disabilities within inclusive and supportive 

environments.

On behalf of the Consortium, MU is applying for this federal grant to accomplish three major objectives. First, 

the Consortium further develops a state of the art, research- based, inclusive postsecondary program of study at 

MU, the Career and Life Studies program. This program serves as a model of best practices in inclusive higher 

education and residential campus life, complemented with the development of strong social and employment 

networks for young adults with intellectual disabilities. The second major objective builds upon the efforts of 

recent collaborations with the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. This collaboration has resulted 

in seed money funding to institutions of higher education and a statewide symposium to support postsecondary 

program development for young adults with intellectual disabilities. The final major objective of the 

Consortium will be to serve as providers of technical assistance and support to existing and developing 

inclusive postsecondary programs across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Career and Life Studies (CLS) program at Millersville is projected to serve 65 students over five years. A 

collaborative partnership of Millersville, Penn State Harrisburg, and Mercyhurst College is projected to serve an 

additional 48 for a total of 113 students at these institutions. However, as these institutions work together and 

with the DREAM partnership of UCP of central PA, the partnership is expected to serve hundreds of students 

when new programs are implemented at other IHEs.
16

P407A150080 - The Ohio State University

Columbus, Ohio

Project Title: Ohio’s Statewide Consortia: Enhancing Employment Outcomes 

for Postsecondary Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Project Director: Izzo, Margo-Margo.Izzo@osumc.edu

The goal of Ohio’s Statewide Consortia (OSC) is to build, extend, enhance, and sustain existing programs that 

deliver inclusive postsecondary options to students with intellectual disabilities (SwID) in different urban and 

rural areas of Ohio – options such as participation in college classes, internships, housing, and social 

experiences that result in improved employment and independent living outcomes (Invitational Priority).

Objectives: 1) Facilitate Ohio’s Postsecondary Advisory Council (PAC) with state agency and consortia 

partners to guide the project. This group will collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of special educators, 

rehabilitation counselors, occupational therapists, and parents to provide needed supports to maximize 

employment and independent living outcomes. 2) Implement quality academic, employment, and independent 

living services to a minimum of 180 SwID across the OSC. 3) Pilot Vocational Fit Assessment (VFA) job 

matching system and technology interventions to maximize employment outcomes. 4) Evaluate program 

components and students outcomes in collaboration with the TPSID Coordinating Center to determine 

evidence-based practices. 5) Disseminate products and findings through websites, articles, conferences, and an 

open-source digital repository.

Number of Students: Approximately 180 SwID between ages 18 and 26, will be served at the following 

college campus sites: Ohio State University (OSU), Marietta College (MC), University of Cincinnati (UC), 

University of Toledo (UT), Youngstown State University (YSU), and three additional IHEs to be recruited 

through an RFP process as replication sites.

Partners: The project will convene a statewide Postsecondary Advisory Council (PAC) to include both of 

Ohio’s University Centers of Excellence (Nisonger Center and University of Cincinnati), Ohio’s vocational 

rehabilitation (VR) services agency called Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD), Ohio Department 

of Developmental Disabilities (DoD), local county developmental disability (DD) boards, representatives from 

each institution in the Consortia, local education agencies (LEAs), and additional advocacy groups 

(Competitive Priority 1).

Innovative Activities: OSC will deliver transition-to-college, employment, and housing services for students 

with ID using college students who are studying special education, occupational therapy (OT), and other related 

fields (Competitive Priorities 2 and 3). Students with ID will exit the program with an electronic portfolio 

credential that exhibits skills and competencies obtained through video resumes and digital portfolios. College 

students majoring in disability- related disciplines will gain authentic experiences that will enhance their 

professional development. Creating and testing these services and activities in age-appropriate postsecondary 

settings is aligned with Ohio’s Employment First (EF) Initiative and offers alternatives to sheltered workshops, 

currently the only option available in many Ohio communities for persons with ID.

Outcomes: At completion, eight postsecondary programs that are designed to increase academic and 

community employment outcomes for students with ID in different urban and rural areas of Ohio will be 

sustained through cost-sharing and cost-recovery models involving multi-site partners.
17

P407A150062 - Portland State University

Portland, Oregon

Project Title: Think College Inclusion Oregon at Portland State University

Project Director: Ann Fullerton- bdaf@pdx.edu

Think College Inclusion Oregon at Portland State University (TCIO) will offer a model Comprehensive 

Transition and Post-Secondary Program for students with intellectual disabilities (ID). Outcomes of the TCIO 

Program will include:

1. At least 35 post-secondary students (aged 18 and older) who have ID will complete inclusive academic, 

career, and independent living instruction, leading to progress on individual goals, gainful employment, 

and self-determination (Absolute Priority[AP]1).

a. Person-centered plans will develop a course of study for each student with individualized goals and 

inclusive academic, employment, social and independent living experiences that lead to the student’s 

goals, gainful employment, and self-determination. (AP3 and 4).

b. Individualized supports and services, (e.g., faculty development, peer mentors, PSU interns/ 

practicum students, use of UDL and assistive technology), will result in successful inclusion of 

students with ID in academic courses, extracurricular activities, campus housing, work experiences, 

and other aspects of the PSU program (AP2, Competitive Priorities [CP]2 and 3).

c. Upon completion of the student’s individual course of study, a digital portfolio will certify skills and 

competencies which are meaningful to potential employers (AP8).

d. The TCIO model program will be continuously improved through formative and summative 

evaluation and participation in evaluation with the TPSID Coordinating Center (AP5).

e. Dissemination of components of the TCIO model will lead toward development of postsecondary 

education programs at other Oregon Institutions of Higher Education.

2. Partnerships will support and sustain the TCIO Program.

a. PSU Enrollment Management & Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, and other units will provide 

recruitment, admissions, advising, and financial aid services for TCIO students that are integrated 

with PSU systems and practices to support sustainability (AP7).

b. Oregon Department of Vocational Rehabilitation will provide and sustain support for TCIO 

students’ achievement of employability and gainful employment (CP1).

c. PSU Enrollment Management & Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, University Studies, and the 

Community Vision Self-Directed Living Program will make inclusive university housing available 

to all TCIO students (CP1 and 2).

d. Undergraduate and graduate students of the PSU University Studies, Graduate School of Education, 

School of Community Health, School of Business, and other academic units will be involved as 

mentors, interns, and practicum students in the TCIO program (CP3).

e. Portland Public Schools (PPS) and PSU will extend and enhance the existing Community Transition 

Program to provide and sustain inclusive academic, social and work experiences for TCIO students 

who are dually enrolled in PPS and PSU (Invitational Priority).

f. The TCIO Coalition/Northwest Down Syndrome Association/All Born In and the Think College 

Inclusion Prep Cohort will engage youth and families in TCIO leadership and evaluation.
18

P407A150023 - Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville, Pennsylvania

Project Title: Pennsylvania Inclusive Higher Education Consortium

Project Director: Thomas Neuville-Thomas.Neuville@millersville.edu

Millersville University of Lancaster, Pennsylvania is proposing to collaborate with Penn State UniversityHarrisburg and Mercyhurst University to build the Pennsylvania Inclusive Higher Education Consortium, 

hereinafter referred to as the “Consortium.” It is the goal of this partnership to create a statewide consortium of 

postsecondary institutions of higher education dedicated to the mission of inclusive education for young adults 

with intellectual disabilities. The overarching vision is to design and support postsecondary campus settings in 

which education, training, authentic social experiences, independent living and integrated and competitive 

employment can be accessed by young adults with intellectual disabilities within inclusive and supportive 

environments.

On behalf of the Consortium, Millersville University is applying for this federal grant to accomplish three major 

objectives. First, the Consortium will further develop a state of the art, research-based, inclusive postsecondary 

program of study at Millersville University, the Career and Life Studies program. This program will serve as a 

model of best practices in inclusive higher education and residential campus life, complemented with the 

development of strong social and employment networks for young adults with intellectual disabilities. The 

second major objective will be to build upon the efforts of recent collaborations with the Pennsylvania Office of 

Vocational Rehabilitation. This collaboration has resulted in seed money funding to institutions of higher 

education and a statewide symposium to support postsecondary program development for young adults with 

intellectual disabilities. The final major objective of the Consortium will be to serve as providers of technical 

assistance and support to existing and developing inclusive postsecondary programs across the Commonwealth 

of Pennsylvania.

The Career and Life Studies (CLS) program at Millersville is projected to serve 65 students over five years. A 

collaborative partnership of Millersville, Penn State Harrisburg, and Mercyhurst College is projected to serve an 

additional 48 for a total of 113 students at these institutions. However, as these institutions work together and 

with the DREAM partnership of UCP of central PA, the partnership is expected to serve hundreds of students 

when new programs are implemented at other IHEs.
19

P407A150013 - Rhode Island College

Providence, Rhode Island

Project Title: Rhode Island College TPSID Project

Project Director: Anthony Antosh-aantosh@ric.edu

In January 2013, the US Department of Justice found that the State of Rhode Island had violated Title II of the 

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) through its operation of a day activity service system, including 

employment, vocational and day services for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 

(I/DD). Findings indicated that “the State frequently fails to present transition-aged youth with intellectual 

disabilities (ID) viable alternatives and fails to provide the appropriate services necessary to inform the 

recommendations in the students’ post-secondary planning documents (January 6, 2014).” Currently, there are 

approximately 960 adolescents and adults with ID who are eligible to participate in a “Comprehensive 

Transition Program,” yet no colleges or universities in Rhode Island offer such a program. Further, data 

collected by the RI Department of Education (RIDE) indicate that only 3 percent of students with ID are 

engaged in higher education and 20 percent are engaged in competitive employment one year after exiting 

Special Education Services. These data document a critical need for a comprehensive transition and 

postsecondary program for students with ID in RI. The proposed project consists of five goals to serve the needs 

of students with ID in RI, including: (1) Refine and expand the existing program at Rhode Island College (RIC) 

and to submit the program to the US Department of Education for approval as a Comprehensive Transition 

Program (CTP), (2) Support 50 60 adolescents and young adults (five cohorts of 10- 12 students) to obtain a 

“Certificate of Community Studies” at RIC, (3) Increase participants’ breadth of knowledge, interest and 

competence across a variety of domains including academics, independent living and community participation, 

career discovery and development, social competence and self-determination, (4) Provide each participant with 

a structured set of experiences that will facilitate a career path of the student’s choice, and (5) Establish the 

supports needed to sustain the RIC program beyond grant funding and to increase the capacity of other higher 

education facilities to establish similar programs.

To address these goals, the proposed project will expand upon existing opportunities at RIC through the 

development of an academic credential: Certificate in Community Studies. The certificate will be formalized by 

the College Curriculum Committee and submitted to the US Department of Education for approval as a CTP. 

The project will recruit five cohorts of 10 students to complete the program. The certificate will be aligned to 

the Think College standards based conceptual framework and include an individualized course of study 

comprised of (a) academic access and enrichment – courses taken in general education and major areas of 

interest, (b) participation in campus life, (c) participation in a Self-Determination Learning Model of Instruction 

(SDLMI), and (d) involvement in the RI Career Development model consisting of meaningful vocational 

assessment, person centered planning, and integrated internships. To ensure opportunities at RIC will be 

sustained, the certificate will become part of the college’s general curriculum and integrated with existing 

services. Further, RIC will provide outreach and technical assistance to any college in the state interested in 

developing a similar program. 

This application is being submitted by Rhode Island College (RIC) in collaboration with the Paul V. Sherlock

Center on Disabilities at RIC and the RIC Disability Services Center. Project Partners include three state 

agencies - the RI Department of Education (RIDE), the RI Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS), the RI 

Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental Disabilities, Hospitals (BHDDH); two school districts –

Providence, Central Falls; several other school districts as documented through the partnership letter from the 

Association of RI Administrators of Special Education (ARIASE); and several adult agencies. The Sherlock 

Center will serve as the administrative lead for the project.
20

P407A150063 - Lipscomb University

Nashville, Tennessee

Project Title: IDEAL (Igniting the Dream of Education and Access at 

Lipscomb) Project Director: Misty Parsley- misty.parsley@lipscomb.edu

IDEAL (Igniting the Dream of Education and Access at Lipscomb) is a SACS-accredited certificate program at 

Lipscomb University that is designed to encourage and support students with intellectual and developmental 

disabilities (ID/DD) to experience college as their peers do. IDEAL provides education and career development 

to students with ID/DD while encouraging friendships and increased independent skills that lead to a better 

quality of life. IDEAL began in January 2014 and will have 19 students with ID/DD enrolled in the fall of 2015. 

This proposal seeks to expand IDEAL. The program plans to add eight new students per year to serve a total of 

48 students over the course of the project. An additional 60 secondary and postsecondary students may be 

served through the proposed IDEAL Summer Academy. The goals of this project include:

1. Exploring Lipscomb-owned residential opportunities for IDEAL students

2. Providing additional support for participants in off-campus internships through the addition of peer job 

coaches

3. Creating a third year intensive job training option for participants in partnership with Goodwill 

Industries of Middle Tennessee

4. Enhancing partnerships with LEAs and other service providers to provide professional development and 

assist with transition planning for eligible students

5. Expanding the person-centered planning process to assist in the development of students’ selfdetermination skills

6. Expanding involvement of traditional students in the undergraduate and graduate special education 

programs, as well as the graduate level Applied Behavior Analysis program

7. Creating a summer academy to allow more students to experience the IDEAL program Partnerships 

have been, or will be, developed with the following entities:

8. Lipscomb faculty

9. Lipscomb campus departments

10. Metro Nashville Public Schools

11. Surrounding middle TN school districts

12. Lipscomb Academy

13. Goodwill Industries

14. Tennessee Department of Vocational Rehabilitation

15. Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities

16. The Arc of Tennessee

17. The Tennessee Alliance for Postsecondary Opportunities for Students With Intellectual Disabilities

18. Community businesses, disability service providers, and nonprofit organizations

To meet these goals, IDEAL seeks funding for the following staff roles and program activities:

1. A resident director for the IDEAL program

2. A job placement coordinator

3. A transition coordinator

4. Five peer job coaches

5. A person-centered planning facilitator

6. Staff and materials for the IDEAL Summer Academy

7. Job placement services with Goodwill Industries of Middle TN

8. Travel expenses to an annual conference for IDEAL students and new staff
21

P407A150041 - University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee

Project Title: Building Resources for persons with Intellectual Disabilities 

towards Gainful Employment: The BRIDGE Project for Inclusive Transition 

to Integrated Employment.

Project Director: Janet Wiens-jawiens@memphis.edu

Person-centered transition for individuals with intellectual disabilities, from high school to integrated 

employment, has been a topic of interest for educators and vocational rehabilitation specialists for decades 

(Schiro-Geist, 1990), but the strongest path to seamless transition has not always been easy to identify. The 

University of Memphis Institute on Disability (UMID) proposes in this application for federal funding to build a 

BRIDGE to span the fault between secondary education and inclusive gainful employment. UMID has had 

Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE) transitional service delivery and research in conjunction with our 

LEA (Shelby County Schools) since January 2012 and began an open-enrollment inclusive program, TigerLIFE 

(Learning Independence-Fostering Education and Employability) in January 2013. UMID has partnered with 

the State of Tennessee Division of Vocational Rehabilitation as a Community Rehabilitation Service Provider 

(CRP) since 2013. The UMID currently has the largest IPSE program in Tennessee and the largest percentage 

of minority students (62 percent) in the state.

The program included in this proposal will facilitate building an even sturdier BRIDGE from special education, 

with its learning priorities, to the vocational rehabilitation side of transition, with its integrated work priorities, 

for young adults with intellectual disabilities. Using an inclusive college environment, BRIDGE builds work 

skills, soft skills and improved self- efficacy and esteem, necessary for maintaining competitive employment. 

To that goal, UMID will create and investigate appropriate research on inclusive transition models, develop 

tools and resources to improve diverse participation, increase independent living and certificate attainment, 

increase involvement of faculty and non-disabled students on campus with an inclusive programming, and 

advise partners at the county, and regional (Mid-South) levels.

The University of Memphis is a minority-serving institution of higher education and will bring its "toolkit" to 

other such institutions in the region, including Historically Black Colleges, community colleges and rural 

partners. UMID will use its diverse staff and community Advisory Board to keep the project on track as we 

cross those Bridges, with our goals of Enhancement, Sustainability and Capacity Building. This proposal will 

meet all eight Absolute Priorities, all three Competitive Priorities and the Invitational Priority, as we build the 

BRIDGE to inclusion for this population of young adults with intellectual disabilities.

The State of Tennessee is an EPSCOR State. The theoretical model that UMID uses is the Systems Approach to 

Placement (Geist and Calzaretta, 1982). This theoretical model is used to create an individual plan for 

employment for each participant, and has led to placement rates for participants significantly above state and 

national levels for persons with disabilities. UMID will take this successful model and use it to create options 

for increased capacity in West Tennessee and the rest of the Mid-South. Over 850 young adults with Intellectual 

Disabilities (ID) will be served during the five years of the project. Program evaluation will be completed by 

researchers from Southern University in Baton Rouge, an Historically Black University (HBU), whose faculty 

have extensive experience in evaluation and capacity building.

TigerLIFE has always used a sustainable model, based on a sound business plan, in conjunction with its 

partners in the Shelby County Schools, University of Tennessee – BCDD in Memphis, Tennessee, Southern 

University, and the Tennessee Division of Vocational Rehabilitation as its basic plan for action and growth. 

That model will now be used as a BRIDGE to the future.
22

P407A150058 - Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee

Project Title: Next Steps at Vanderbilt University 

Project Director: Erik Carter-erik.carter@Vanderbilt.Edu

Next Steps at Vanderbilt University is a high-quality, two-year model comprehensive transition and 

postsecondary program for young adults with intellectual disability designed to equip students with the skills, 

relationships, experiences, and supports needed to achieve personally valued outcomes during and after college. 

Since our launch in 2010, we have delivered individualized and inclusive educational experiences to 23 students 

marked by a commitment to person-centered practices, evidence-based supports, strong social connections, and 

integrated work experiences. Our employment rate for program graduates is 88 percent. We are requesting 

TPSID funding to extend and enhance the rigor, relevance, relationships, and reach of our program. We meet all 

three competitive priorities and the invitational priority. 

We have set five primary goals for this project. First, we will expand to a four-year program. Related objectives 

include (a) refining our program pathways to ensure a sequenced experience, (b) expanding the range and depth 

of on- and off-campus internship and work experiences, and (c) refining our supplemental seminars to address 

additional critical skills, and (d) deepening our partnership with local LEAs and state agencies. Second, we will 

develop a unique portfolio of inclusive on- and off-campus housing options. Related objectives include (a) 

making on-campus options available for students during their first two years, (b) partnering with innovative 

community programs to support off-campus options for students during later years, and (c) building the 

Friendship House model at Vanderbilt. Third, we will increase access to all of the experiences and supports 

available to any Vanderbilt student. Related objectives include (a) doubling the number of courses students 

take, (b) expanding involvement in a wider array of campus clubs and activities, and (c) building the capacity of 

the full range of Vanderbilt student services to meet the needs of students with ID. Fourth, Peabody College will 

become a national leader in research on postsecondary supports for students with ID. Related objectives include 

(a) coordinating a program of research addressing aspects of inclusive higher education experiences, (b) 

engaging graduate students and faculty from Peabody and the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center in this work, and (c) 

partnering with Tennessee’s other programs to conduct larger-scale studies. Fifth, we will invest heavily in the 

growth of additional PSE programs throughout Tennessee. Related objectives include (a) leading new capacity 

building activities through our Tennessee Alliance for Postsecondary Opportunities; (b) partnering with the 

state to develop resources and advocacy efforts to raise awareness of and commitment to PSE opportunities 

among legislators, educators, families, and individuals with disabilities; (c) collaborating with the Tennessee 

Community College system to develop new programs in unreached corners of the state; and (d) creatively 

packaging elements of our program (e.g., seminar materials, peer partner training, summer institute) to make 

them accessible to others in the state and country.

These collective efforts will enable us to more than double the number of students we serve across cohorts—

from 13 students in Fall 2015 (2 cohorts) to nearly 40 students beginning Fall 2018 (four cohorts). To carry out 

this work, we will extend our existing partnerships with the Tennessee Department of Vocational Rehabilitation 

(VR), the Tennessee Department of Education (DOE), the TennesseeeWorks Partnership, Vanderbilt’s 

Department of Special Education, the Nashville IDD Housing Group, the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and 

UCEDD, four diverse school districts (LEAs), the Tennessee Alliance for Postsecondary Opportunities for

Students with Intellectual Disabilities, the Tennessee Developmental Disabilities Network, the Friendship 

House Partners, a community network of organizations (e.g., Arc TN, Autism TN, Down Syndrome Association 

of Middle Tennessee), and the Next Steps Steering Committee.
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P407A150010 - Utah State University

Logan, Utah

Project Title: Aggies Elevated at Utah State University: Expansion of a 

Postsecondary Education Program for Students with Intellectual Disability

Project Director: Robert Morgan-bob.morgan@usu.edu

This grant application addresses the second round of transition programs for students with intellectual 

disabilities (TPSID) programs sponsored by the Office of Postsecondary Education and authorized by HEA 

Section 767(d)(6). The project, called Aggies Elevated at Utah State University, addresses the Absolute 

Priorities and Competitive Priorities 1, 2, and 3. Additionally, the project addresses the Invitational Priority.

One college-based postsecondary education (PSE) program for young adults with ID now operates in Utah. 

Students in Utah State University’s Aggies Elevated program began coursework in Fall 2014. To date, seven 

students have successfully completed their first year of full-time inclusive courses and on-campus residential 

living experience. Four new students were admitted to start Fall Semester 2015. Current students have 

developed a person-centered plan with a career path, goals, and two-year courses of study and 

employment/internship experiences leading to the career path. Concurrently, staff of this proposed project has 

begun discussions with other institutions of higher education in Utah, including Utah Valley University (Orem, 

UT) and Weber State University (Ogden, UT) to develop an infrastructure supporting PSE programs for 

students with ID and other developmental disabilities. These efforts have involved partnership with the Utah 

State Office of Education and Utah State Office of Rehabilitation.

This project proposes to expand the Aggies Elevated program at Utah State University, develop partnerships at 

the state and local levels, educate consumers on the value of a PSE experience for students with ID, develop and 

coordinate efforts to establish additional PSE programs across the state of Utah and the region, and evaluate 

activities and outcomes. Goals include the following:

(I) Build, extend, and enhance Aggies Elevated in phases from 11 to 18 students enrolled in fulltime college 

courses (a total of 47 students will participate); (II) Support students with ID in the program towards academic, 

employment, and independent living success; (III) Develop and maintain partnerships with consortia consisting 

of the state education agency (SEA: Utah State Office of Education), local education agencies (LEAs: Cache 

and Ogden Districts), Utah State Office of Rehabilitation, youth, parents, and families; (IV) Maintain existing 

relationships with USU Housing and Residential Life Office to ensure integrated housing with necessary 

supports for all students living on campus; (V) Develop and maintain involvement of USU undergraduate and 

graduate students in special education and rehabilitation counseling; (VI) Support efforts of other IHEs to 

establish additional PSE programs across the Mountain Time Zone by sharing of information on the Aggies 

Elevated program; and (VII) Evaluate program activities and outcomes, including post-school follow-up of 

student employment and independent living.

Evaluation data will include numbers of students admitted to/graduated from the two-year certificate program; 

student performance in courses; student support from mentors; roles and responsibilities of partners; students in 

integrated on-campus housing; numbers of undergraduate/graduate students involved as supports for program 

students; and numbers of developed PSE programs in other IHEs who receive assistance from project staff. 

Outcomes will include a sustainable model program at Utah State University, and young adults with ID and 

other developmental disabilities engaged in careers and independent living.
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P407A150035 - Highline College

Des Moines, IA

Project Title: Highline College proposes to build capacity and enhance its highquality, inclusive model comprehensive transition and postsecondary program 

for students with intellectual disabilities.

Project Directors: Jenni Sandler and Julie Jine: jsandler@highline.edu; jjine@highline.edu

Through its ACHIEVE program, the college will fulfill these goals and objectives:

Goal One: To increase post-school employment outcomes, skill development and the career trajectory of 

ACHIEVE students.

Objective 1.0: Each year, 100 percent of students enrolled in year one of ACHIEVE’s Comprehensive 

Transition Certificate Program (CTP) will complete at least one quarter long, paid internship in a specific career 

pathway. Paid internships will average 5 to 15 hours per week and will focus on skill development and practice. 

Internships will be developed by the Career Specialist and will be supported by Educational Coaches and the 

Community Employment Services (CES) Employment team.

Objective 2.0: Create a paid internship program in seven industries that offer the most opportunities for 

employment and career advancement.

Goal Two: To increase the number of economically disadvantaged, students of color with intellectual 

disabilities who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education and career.

Objective 1.0: Increase the number of multi-year, dually enrolled students by five students per year.

Objective 2.0: Host and deliver college preparation and readiness academy for students with intellectual 

disabilities, ages 14-17, with a specific emphasis on students from underrepresented immigrant and ethnic 

communities. The focus of these academies will be to increase preparation and readiness for postsecondary 

education and career. Specifically, students will increase awareness of postsecondary options, develop 

leadership skills to use in school and work, and learn strategies to better prepare for the rigors of college and 

career. Objective 3.0: Increase access and readiness for college and career for underrepresented students with 

ID through expanded outreach and professional development to parents and professionals.

Activities and number of students and others served:

• Increase access to the college’s comprehensive transition program, adding 25 dually enrolled 

students to the ACHIEVE program.

• Develop quarter-long inclusive, paid internship experiences for 100 percent of first-year students 

including opportunities for job shadowing, skill development, and skill practice (15 a year).

• Create an advisory board to expand industry specific career pathways. Create at least one paid 

internship in each of seven pathways on campus and in the community (14 sites).

• Partner with Open Doors for Multicultural Families to host at least 75 secondary students from 

diverse backgrounds for a summer college and career readiness experience.

• Hold regional college and career readiness academies for at least 250 middle school students with 

ID. Academies will focus on college and career preparation for low-income, first generation 

students, including those from underrepresented immigrant/ethnic communities.

• Partner with Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and others to replicate and expand upon Highline’s 

2014 Postsecondary Readiness Summit to increase professional development opportunities for at 

least 500 K–12 educators, adult service providers, and college faculty.
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P407A150025 - WA State Community College District 17-

Spokane Community College

Spokane, WA

Project Title: People Accessing Careers and Education Services (PACE) 

Project Director: Linda DeFord-Linda.DeFord@scc.spokane.edu

Funding is sought to develop a model comprehensive transition and postsecondary program that will provide 

academic enrichment, person centered planning, community engagement, individualized supports, and 

vocational related experiences that will ultimately lead to gainful employment for individuals with intellectual 

disabilities. The program will strengthen and expand existing PACE Services to create a national model for 

serving people with intellectual disabilities in post-secondary education.

PACE Services project objectives include: 

Develop program capacity to serve the following number of students each year: year one-10, year two-15, year 

three-20, year four-25, and year five-30 

Expand natural supports with degree seeking students through peer mentoring, social networks, internships, 

college functions, and practicum experiences 

Provide person centered planning involving who the student identifies as their support team to develop an 

individualized plan that will include academic, vocational, social, self-determination, advocacy, and personal 

skill development. 

Expand the program to provide opportunities to individuals with intellectual disabilities in the Community 

Colleges of Spokane outlying service areas 

Work closely with Disability Support Services to provide accommodations as needed and financial aid 

department to provide financial assistance if eligible 

Develop a plan to ensure parents, guardians, and support staff are informed of the program 

Involve and train faculty on Universal Design Leaning to allow students to fully participate in course activities 

Strengthen current partnerships with Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), Developmental Disabilities 

Administration (DDA), and local school districts. 

Develop means to become self-sustaining by applying to become a Comprehensive Transition Program