When I say college, you might think about pulling all-nighters, studying on the quad, eating cold pizza for breakfast, football games, parties, or Greek life. When I talk to people about college for my son with Down syndrome, I often get curious looks.
For most people, a person with an intellectual disability simply doesn’t fit in their vision of college. And that’s probably no surprise, because the reality is that only 2% of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) attend a college or university program.
There are now more than 300 inclusive postsecondary programs (IPSE) across the United States. However, several barriers to them remain.
Some barriers to these opportunities for people with ID are lack of awareness, low expectations, and disbelief. Despite the myth and mindset that college is out of reach for people with ID, the benefits are enormous. Graduates of these programs are much more likely to:
- develop workplace-ready skills,
- build confidence and professional networks,
- and secure competitive employment.
The barriers
The first barrier is simply not knowing. If a student, family, or guidance counselor doesn’t know IPSE programs exist, they can’t prepare for them, pursue them, or even put them on the list. Think College maintains a searchable database of programs across the country, sortable by location, disability type, and enrollment model. It’s a good starting point.
But awareness is only part of it.
The second barrier, and honestly the one that troubles me more, is low expectations. I’ve seen it play out in school settings where educators have already decided what a student’s future looks like before they’ve had a chance to demonstrate who they are.
Albert Bandura’s research on self-efficacy tells us that our beliefs about our own capabilities are shaped, in part, by the feedback and messages we receive from others. Students internalize what the adults around them believe is possible.
Carol Dweck’s work on growth mindset is relevant here too. This concept of “the power of yet” asks us to stay open: not “this student can’t do this,” but “this student hasn’t done this yet.” That reframe matters enormously when we’re talking about young people whose potential we have barely scratched the surface of.
To educators reading this: I’m not here to shame anyone. This work is hard and the systems aren’t set up to make it easy. But I’d ask you to consider this.
Just because you’ve never taught a student with an ID who went on to attend college doesn’t mean the student in front of you won’t be the first.
What these programs actually do
Think about why you’d want any young person to have a college experience. The independence. The friendships. The chance to figure out who you are outside of your family and your hometown. The opportunity to explore what you’re good at and what you love.
IPSE programs offer all of that, and the outcomes back it up.
Think College reports that 67% of IPSE graduates secure competitive, integrated employment within one year of graduating. Compare that to the 16-19% of people with intellectual disabilities who are employed at all. And for students who participate in postsecondary programs with vocational rehabilitation support, earnings are 51% higher than for those who don’t.
These aren’t small numbers. They represent real differences in people’s lives.
What you can do right now
You don’t have to overhaul a system to make a difference here. You can start small.
Learn what’s out there. Think College’s search tool is free and easy to use. If you’re a family, explore it. If you’re an educator or counselor, bookmark it.
Talk about it. The more people share that IPSE programs exist and work, the more families will know to ask about them. Awareness spreads person to person.
Get involved. Most IPSE programs rely on peer mentors from the broader campus community. Tutoring, shared meals, exercise classes, social time. A few hours a week from someone willing to show up can genuinely change a student’s experience.
The question I keep coming back to
What if the only thing standing between a young adult with an intellectual disability and a college experience is whether the people around them believe it’s possible?
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