Article about College and Intellectual Disabilities

A great article can be found here about a student with Down Syndrome going to college. There is much information included about new legislation helping young adults with disabilities go on to higher education.

Higher Education Law

A newly reauthorized federal law should improve opportunities for students with disabilities heading off to college. Signed into law on August 14, 2008, the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 impacts students in several ways:

• *The law establishes a national center to provide support services and best practices for colleges, students, and their families.
• *It will help colleges recruit, retain and graduate students with disabilities and improve materials and facilities.
• * It will expand the eligibility for Pell Grants and other need-based aid to students with intellectual disabilities. This will include work study programs.

Around 130 colleges and universities nationwide offer programs for students with intellectual disabilities. You can find out more about these services and where to find them at www.thinkcollege.net.

Transition: High School to College: TRIO Support Services

A little known support that can be of use for transitioning from high school to college for young adults with disabilities is the TRIO Student Support Services.

Congress established a series of programs to help American low-income, first generation college students and students with disabilities enter college, graduate and move on to participate more fully in America's economic and social life. These Programs are funded under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and are referred to as the TRIO Programs.

Students who many not otherwise be accepted into universities through standard channels due to their academic records may be accepted through TRIO.

More than 1,000 U.S. colleges, universities and agencies now offer TRIO programs.

Students in the TRIO program are twice as likely to remain in college than those students with similar backgrounds who do not participate in the program.

To find out more about TRIO programs visit the TRIO homepage.

To find a list of participating schools check out the TRIO directory (a downloadable PDF file).

Transition Information: High School to College

In New Jersey, the Special Needs Grant Program of the NJ Commission on Higher Education supports regional centers to provide support services to students with special needs. There are eight support centers located through the state. They provide direct assistance to students with auditory and visual impairments and students with learning disabilities.
The goal of each of the centers is to provide direct services to students and assistance to other colleges and universities in New Jersey.
Located at The College of NJ, the Adaptive Technology Center works with service providers at colleges to provide opportunities to disabled students to meet the academic demands of college. The five regional centers serve students with learning disabilities and provide comprehensive support programs. There are two regional centers that provide support programs on their campuses for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Adaptive Technology Center for New Jersey Colleges
at The College of New Jersey
(609) 771-2610
http://adaptivetech.tcnj.edu

Learning Disability Centers

Project Assist at Cumberland County College
(856) 691-8600 ext. 282
www.cccnj.edu/projAssist

Regional Center at Fairleigh Dickinson University
Madison: (973) 443-8734
Teaneck: (201) 692-2298
www.fdu.edu/studentsvcs/rcsld.html

Central Regional Connections at Middlesex County College
(732) 906-2507
www.middlesexcc.edu/acadsupport/control.cfm/ID/74

Project Mentor at New Jersey City University
(201) 200-2091
www.njcu.edu/PMentor/proj_ment_home.htm

Project Academic Skills Support at Ocean County College
(732) 255-0456
www.ocean.edu/campus/student_services/drc/pass.htm


Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centers
Center for Collegiate Deaf Education at Bergen Community College
(201) 612-5270
(201) 612-5325 TTY
www.bergen.cc.nj.us/oss/ccde.asp

Mid-Atlantic Postsecondary Center for Deaf & Hard of Hearing
at Camden County College
(856) 227-7200 x 4506
(856) 228-1897 TTY
www.camdencc.edu/dhoh