Project Description:
Aggie ACHIEVE (Academic Course in Higher Inclusive Education and Vocational Experiences) at Texas A&M University (TAMU) is a Comprehensive Transition Program (CTP) for young adults with Intellectual Disabilities (ID). Aggie ACHIEVE is housed within the Department of Educational Psychology in the School of Education and Human Development. Aggie ACHIEVE is also affiliated with the Center on Disability and Development, a nationally recognized University Center of Excellence on Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). Aggie ACHIEVE is supported by the U.S. Department of Education as a Comprehensive Transition Program and a Model Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID; 2020-2025).
Aggie ACHIEVE provides an immersive and comprehensive college education and equips students for employment in the community. Aggie ACHIEVE aligns coursework, internship opportunities, and extracurricular activities with each student's academic interests and employment goals. Aggie ACHIEVE encompasses four specific goals: (1) expand and enhance the quality of inclusive higher education provided toTexans with intellectual disabilities; (2) promote academic achievement, independent living, and social inclusion for Aggie ACHIEVE students to expand opportunities for integrated employment and active community participation (3) align with the duty and mission of TAMU as a public land-grant state institution and "lead by example" for all Aggies; and (4) contribute to the field of inclusive higher education and transition by sharing resources, research, and relationships with key stakeholders to promote replication of the model. The mission and objectives of Aggie ACHIEVE aligns with the "Think College Standards, Quality Indicators, and Benchmarks for Inclusive Higher Education" (Grigal et al., 2012); the program's commitments and project goals correspond with the indicators related to academic access, career development, campus membership, self-determination, university practices, coordination and collaboration, sustainability, and ongoing evaluation. Since receiving TPSID funding in October 2020, Aggie ACHIEVE has grown in staff and student opportunities. Key programmatic highlights include the expansion of courses and internship options across campus and the community. Aggie ACHIEVE is supported by a Faculty Executive Committee, an interdisciplinary team of approximately 15 faculty members and staff from seven colleges and 15 departments.The Faculty Committee includes faculty who are already offering courses or prospective instructors interested in offering a course at some point or advocating for Aggie ACHIEVE on behalf of their department or college. Faculty will work with ACHIEVE staff to develop a modified syllabus and an Independent Learning Agreement to set expectations and assignments.
Aggie ACHIEVE utilizes a strengths-based, person-centered approach to analyze and implement the individualized support needed for the student to be successful in current and future academic environments (Claes et al., 2010; Kelley & Westling, 2019). A comprehensive college experience for Aggie ACHIEVE students includes integrated academic, social, and employment opportunities for an individualized, comprehensive four-year immersive experience. ACHIEVE students spend most of their time on campus in courses learning alongside their peers at Texas A&M University. Aggie ACHIEVE students live in the residence halls alongside peers without disabilities for the first two years. Aggie ACHIEVE students live off campus in community-based student housing alongside their peers in the third and fourth years. Although students can receive ongoing support from staff related to independent living through seminars and check-ins, they must demonstrate higher levels of independence to prepare them to live independently upon graduation.
Each student enrolls in at least one academic course per semester taught by university instructors. These courses are selected from an approved listing based on students' individualized interests and career goals. ACHIEVE currently offers 26 unique courses approved on this list across 11 departments. Aggie ACHIEVE students can access more than 50 inclusive physical education elective courses each semester, including yoga, fencing, archery, and dance classes. Each semester, Aggie ACHIEVE students enroll in two one-credit courses, where they can learn a new activity or exercise and engage with their undergraduate peers and participate in an internship. Additionally, Aggie ACHIEVE students have access to more than 1,000 student organizations on campus to expand their interests in sports, performing arts, or other hobbies. Aggie ACHIEVE students have participated in more than a dozen student organizations collectively. In the first two years, students are introduced to college life through weekly seminars focused on independent living, career awareness, and self-determination. Beginning in the spring of their first year, students will participate in on-campus internships each week to prepare for inclusive employment.The last two years in Aggie ACHIEVE will focus more on career development and field specialization, including opportunities for off-campus paid internships in a student's field of interest. Students will have the opportunity to venture off-campus to work in a setting more directly aligned with their chosen field of specialization. In preparation for the final year, students will work closely with the Job Developer to identify relevant, inclusive employment opportunities locally or in their hometown.
Students completing all four years of the Aggie ACHIEVE program will graduate with a Certificate in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas A&M University. This academic year, Aggie ACHIEVE welcomed nine Freshmen! Six Seniors participated in the graduation commencement ceremony with their peers, in the Class of 2024!
Learn more about Aggie ACHIEVE https://aggieachieve.tamu.edu/about/
Area of Emphasis
Employment-Related Activities, Housing-Related Activities, Transportation-Related Activities, Recreation-Related Activities, Quality of Life, Other - Leadership, Other
