College Programs

This document is a tool for parents, students, and educators to help compare and contrast important components of the different IPSE Programs available to students with intellectual disability.

Florida International University’s Project EMBRACE Panther LIFE’s current curricula for students with disabilities is guided by the principles of individualized and person-centered, functional or practical to maximize independence, adaptive or adjustable to meet each student’s needs, and ecologically relevant or based on the student’s environments and major activities (Wehman & Kregel, 1997).

Florida State College at Jacksonville V.E.R.T.I.C.A.L (Vocational and Employment Readiness Training in Comprehensive Adult Learning) provides students enrolled in vocational workforce certificate programs with the support and employment skills training needed to succeed in the competitive workforce and lead a productive life.

Think College at the Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston is funded by the Office of Postsecondary Education, US Department of Education to provide support, coordination, training and evaluation services for Transition and Postsecondary Education Program (TPSID) grantees as well as other programs for students with  intellectual disabilities nationwide.

The Arc Jacksonville On Campus Transition (OCT) at University of North Florida was created to provide young adults with intellectual disabilities with vital missing services and supports that will assist them in successfully transitioning into adulthood and to live a productive life within the community.

Inclusive Education Services (IES) at the University of Central Florida offers students with intellectual disabilities an inclusive, comprehensive non-degree seeking academic experience with a vocational focus.

Project 10 STING RAY (Students Transitioning Into the Next Generation, Recognizing Alternatives for Youth) is a partnership of the Pinellas County School District, Project 10, the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, the Florida Department of Education, and the Florida Governor’s Commission on Disabilities. It offers young adults with intellectual disabilities, ages 18 to 22, an opportunity to experience life on a college campus while developing self-determination, independent living, and employability skills.

This guide provides detailed descriptions of inclusive and specialized post-secondary education programs in Florida that serve students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  The guide and a promotional flyer can be downloaded or ordered from the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council Education Resources page.

The Academy offers a fully inclusive college experience to students with different intellectual or developmental abilities who do not meet the university requirements for admission as a degree-seeking student. The program involves enrollment as non-degree seeking audit students in typical university courses and includes social integration, career exploration and training resulting in a Certificate of Social Growth and Development.

The purpose of the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities is to provide financial support so students with intellectual disabilities have opportunities for on-campus college experiences and employment opportunities through degree, certificate, or nondegree programs.

The FCIHE brochure is designed to give vital information about the Consortium, the programs and services offered, as well as other community and national agencies designed to assist students with intellectual disability.

FCIHE Brochure

The HEATH Resource Center is an online clearinghouse on postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities. Since 2000, the HEATH Resource Center has served as a national clearinghouse on postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities, managed by The George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development. Now, The HSC Foundation has partnered with The George Washington University to expand the content of this resource and to designate it as the official site of The HSC Foundation’s National Youth Transitions Center.