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By Meg Grigal and Debra Hart; 323 pages. Subtitle: Postsecondary Education Options for Students With Intellectual Disabilities

Parents of children with intellectual disabilities get it drummed into them early and often that their children's future doesn't include college. But the times are changing, inclusion is becoming the norm, and the mainstream is flowing right onto college campuses, giving those who've never thought they'd have the chance at a college experience unexpected access.

This book explains what's going on and makes suggestions for getting a well-run program started near you.

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Pros

• What a great topic! A lot of parents will be thrilled to get this info
• Stories of young people who have lived these dreams make the material more real
• There are plenty of useful charts, samples, and questionnaires
• Presents a really upbeat vision of adult life for individuals with ID
• Gives a good idea of how professionals are thinking about and implementing these programs

Cons

• Most of the essays are intended for professionals rather than parents
• While parents can advocate for these programs, they won't have much control over them
• If your district is still bungling inclusion, post-secondary education may remain a dream

Description

• Chapter 1: Postsecondary Education: The Next Frontier for Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities
• Chapter 2: The Role of Legislation, Advocacy, and Systems Change in Promoting Postsecondary Opportunities for Students With Intellectual Disabilities

• Chapter 3: The Spectrum of Options -- Current Practices
• Chapter 4: Local School System Perspectives
• Chapter 5: College Perspectives and Issues
• Chapter 6: Student and Family Perspectives
• Chapter 7: Critical Components for Planning and Implementing Dual Enrollment and Other Postsecondary Education Experiences
• Chapter 8: The Missing Link: The Importance of Employment
• Chapter 9: Preparing for What? Postsecondary Education, Employment, and Community Participation
• Chapter 10: What the Future Holds

Guide Review - Book Review: Think College!

"This is an incredibly exciting time in education for all students, family members, and professionals, as the next frontier for students with ID is being addressed and the field is figuring out how to create access to a post-secondary education for a student population that has been, for the most part, excluded from this choice."

That passage from the concluding essay in Think College! captures the promise and enthusiasm of the new programs that are putting college experiences within reach of young people with intellectual disabilities -- and also the fact that much of this book is of more interest to the professionals who have to conceptualize, design, implement and defend those programs than the families whose children will benefit from them.

If you don't mind reading scholarly essays intended for professionals, though, you may enjoy seeing what's in store for kids whose prospects were previously limited to a few extra years of high school and a sheltered workshop. If you've had it drilled into you over the years that your child could never be in a regular classroom, never work a normal job, never make a typical wage, there are stories here that may reignite some long-buried hopes. It is indeed an exciting time, and our children will be trailblazers.

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Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.