Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-27-2025

Abstract

Background

As the number of postsecondary education programs offering opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities to attend college increases, so does the investigation into the outcomes of these programs. Gaps in the literature are apparent, especially related to programming at Minority Serving Institutions (MSI).

Method

The study explored parents' observations of their children's outcomes outside of the classroom (e.g., at home, in the community, related to their participation in an inclusive university program. Fourteen parents of currently enrolled students participated in in-depth exit interviews. Applied thematic analysis was conducted on the qualitative data.

Results

Participant responses revealed three major themes: (i) developments at home: generalised skills and behaviours; (ii) enhanced social integration and student self-image; and (iii) developments in parents’ perceptions of disability.

Conclusion

Implications for practice and more effective programming are discussed in support of students’ increased independence and participation as active members of their communities.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.3109/13668250.2025.2459806

Comments

This is an Accepted Manuscript version of the following article, accepted for publication in Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities:

Watts, G. W., Davis, M. T., López, E. J., & Reynolds, M. A. (2025). Parents’ perceptions of outcomes of a college program for students with intellectual disabilities: Beyond the classroom. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 1-13 (Online First). doi:10.3109/13668250.2025.2459806

It is deposited under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.

Tables_JIDD_Beyond.docx (32 kB)
Tables

Share

COinS