College can seem out of reach for high school graduates with an intellectual disability (ID) or developmental disabilities (DD).
However, legislation and centers supporting inclusive college programs include:
- Higher Education Opportunity Act: approves funds to develop college programs for students with ID
- Think College National Coordinating Center: developed national standards, quality indicators and benchmarks for inclusive higher education programs
- The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014
Cuyahoga County students with ID/DD have a college program to call their own. The Reciprocal Inclusion Student Experience (RISE) program is at Cleveland State University
(CSU). RISE is a two- to four-year comprehensive transition experience that helps students with ID/DD earn industry-recognized certificates.
Developed through a partnership between CSU and Cuyahoga DD, RISE admitted its first students in fall 2023. The students can audit typical college courses and typical continuing education courses. They can also take courses on self-advocacy, Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (ADL/IADL), career exploration, and career development.
In the spring 2024 semester, all RISE students had paid work internships on campus. In addition to work and school, the students may participate in extracurricular activities. These may include registered student organizations, student government, club sports, campus events, and fraternities and sororities. Also, the students may choose to live on campus.
Students in the program, according to the Cuyahoga Board of DD, say their peers in the program were “the first group of friends (they) have had since high school.”
RISE partners with the Employment Collaborative of Cuyahoga County to ensure that students in the program will have greater access to employment around their community.
Please search RISE at csuohio.edu or visit csuohio.edu/rise/reciprocal-inclusive-student-experience-program
Looking for more program support options?
Ohio College2Careers — The program partners with colleges and universities to help support students with disabilities.
College can seem out of reach for high school graduates with an intellectual disability (ID) or developmental disabilities (DD).
However, legislation and centers supporting inclusive college programs include:
- Higher Education Opportunity Act: approves funds to develop college programs for students with ID
- Think College National Coordinating Center: developed national standards, quality indicators and benchmarks for inclusive higher education programs
- The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014
Cuyahoga County students with ID/DD have a college program to call their own. The Reciprocal Inclusion Student Experience (RISE) program is at Cleveland State University
(CSU). RISE is a two- to four-year comprehensive transition experience that helps students with ID/DD earn industry-recognized certificates.
Developed through a partnership between CSU and Cuyahoga DD, RISE admitted its first students in fall 2023. The students can audit typical college courses and typical continuing education courses. They can also take courses on self-advocacy, Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (ADL/IADL), career exploration, and career development.
In the spring 2024 semester, all RISE students had paid work internships on campus. In addition to work and school, the students may participate in extracurricular activities. These may include registered student organizations, student government, club sports, campus events, and fraternities and sororities. Also, the students may choose to live on campus.
Students in the program, according to the Cuyahoga Board of DD, say their peers in the program were “the first group of friends (they) have had since high school.”
RISE partners with the Employment Collaborative of Cuyahoga County to ensure that students in the program will have greater access to employment around their community.
Please search RISE at csuohio.edu or visit csuohio.edu/rise/reciprocal-inclusive-student-experience-program
Looking for more program support options?
Ohio College2Careers — The program partners with colleges and universities to help support students with disabilities. ood.ohio.gov or visit highered.ohio.gov
Ohio’s Statewide Consortium — The programs provide access to inclusive college classes, work experiences, social activities, and independent living & self-determination instruction. ohioconsortium.wixsite.com/osconline or visit highered.ohio.gov
Ohio’s Statewide Consortium — The programs provide access to inclusive college classes, work experiences, social activities, and independent living & self-determination instruction. ohioconsortium.wixsite.com/osconline
