Introducing Think College This website introduces inclusive postsecondary education (PSE) for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in Illinois. You will find this website helpful if you are a representative from a postsecondary education institution and/or a student, self-advocate, parent, administrator, service provider, or policy-maker.
Think College is a national initiative to create inclusive PSE opportunities for students with I/DD. It began in 1998 at the University of Massachusetts Boston's (UMASS) Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) and has received numerous federal grants to conduct activities in three areas around inclusive PSE: 1) research; 2) training; and 3) technical assistance.
For a list of inclusive programs in Illinois, refer to the "Illinois Program Profiles" of this website. For additional programs, refer to the national Think College program database .
Think College Illinois
In 2011, the Illinois UCEDD, the Institute on Disability and Human Development (IDHD) , at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) received one of the Statewide Strategic Planning Grants. The aim of the Think College Illinois mini-grant was to:
Facilitate an on-going awareness and interest amongst policy makers, administrators, educators, parents and students.
Create this Think College Illinois website as a blueprint/toolkit for postsecondary education institutions considering inclusive options for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Model Demos or "TPSIDs" In 2010 the US Department of Education awarded $10.9 million awarded $10.9 million for 28 "Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities" (TPSID) programs, also called "model demo" grants, for developing programs to support students with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) in postsecondary education (PSE). This included:
27 grants to create programs increasing opportunities for students with I/DD in higher education.
1 grant to create a coordination center to support the 27 TPSIDs, housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts-Boston.
The goals of TPSIDs are to:
Increase opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in higher education.
Provide individualized supports for inclusive experiences.
Components of the TPSIDs include:
Academics and instruction
Social activities
Employment experiences
Work-based learning and internships
Independent living
For more information about TPSIDs go to the Think College website.
Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Programs (CTPP)
Federal CTPP designation allows students with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) to participate in federal financial aid programs like:
Pell Grant
Federal Work-Study (FWS)
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG).
I've learned some things about myself at college like learning how to be organized. I also learned that to get a successful job you need an education. I've learned more about myself too. I've learned how to be more aware. I learned more about who I am as a person. I've learned how to be an independent and responsible person and I'm also learning to be more focused."-Grace
