Historically, there have been “culturally low expectations” for individuals with intellectual disabilities, according to Dr. Kelly Nye-Lengerman, director of the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire (UNH).
“We did not expect them to go to college,” she added. “We did not offer the college experience to them. We have not necessarily, as a society, held the belief that they can and have the right to have good jobs and to be a part of the community and the economy.”
With a $2.5 million grant from the United States Department of Education-Office of Postsecondary, UNH is breaking down those educational barriers for young adults with intellectual disabilities.
In 2018, 13.9% of New Hampshire residents aged 25 and older with a disability held a four-year college degree, compared to 24.3% of residents without a disability. Additionally, young adults with intellectual disabilities are more likely to be unemployed and live in poverty, according to the 2019 Disability Statistics Compendium.
The “Granite State Transition Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities” (TPSID) project will establish a consortium of colleges and universities, non-profit organizations and state agencies to build an “inclusive higher education model.”
This will create an opportunity for students with intellectual disabilities to fully participate in college classes on campus.
“We don’t want UNH to be the only model,” said Dr. Tobey Partch-Davies, principal investigator for the Granite State TPSID project. “We want to build capacity in the state for other higher ed institutions to accept more students with intellectual disabilities.”
