Coastal Carolina University LIFE™ Program is a four year post-secondary education program for students with intellectual disabilities. The LIFE Program is designed to provide both residential and non-residential options to enrolled students. The purpose of the program is to promote a smooth and effective transition from secondary schools to a four-year higher education institution, as well as provide post-secondary opportunities on a college campus. This program will allow for the students’ full inclusion within the campus community, as well as provide supportive and developmentally appropriate scheduling and coursework to the students’ smooth, effective transition, guidance, and success throughout the program.
The program is designed to emphasize student independence and personal development, choice making, individualized work environments, communication skills, money skills, integration within the University community, and transition to an integrated work environment. The program is structured around a schedule that includes college classes, career exploration, functional living skills training, campus events, job training, community experiences, and extracurricular activities. The Coastal Carolina University LIFE™ Program will allow students with intellectual disabilities the educational and social development opportunity to address four key primary areas: (1) academic enrichment, (2) socialization, (3) independent living skills, and (4) competitive or supported employment.
Program Objectives
Objective
1
Provide vocational evaluation
that includes academic and job skill counseling, testing, and on-the-job
evaluations to help students learn about and identify the types of
jobs/careers they are most interested in
pursuing.
Objective
2
Identify
and develop an individualized career plan that will enable students, upon
completion of program, to be able to 1) pursue and obtain employment of
choice in their field of interest; 2) develop work skills necessary to
function successfully within the working environment; 3) develop
socialization skills; and 4) build or enhance basic academic skills in
areas of need/interest.
Objective
3
Assist students in developing
life skills required to live independently within the local community and provide positive social
experiences to prepare students for various life
experiences.
Objective
4
Provide opportunities to take
courses in academic areas including but not limited to math, reading,
science, social studies, and
humanities.
Objective
5
Provide experiences with
assistive technology to facilitate academic, vocational, and communication
goals.
Objective
6
Establish mentorship and
collegial relationships within the campus
community.
Coastal Carolina University LIFE Program Structure
Program course of study will be design to duplicate a typical college schedule. The student’s schedule will operate from Monday through Friday from approximately 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily depending on academic offerings and individual student needs. Individual programs of study will be determined based on each student’s interests and abilities. View Structure.
Specific Components of the Program
Certificate Program
On-going Assessment and Guidance each semester with a Personal Development Plan
Career interest and vocational skills
Academic Development
Social Developmental
Independent Living
Four year program non-residential and residential experience
Career Exploration Apprenticeship (on-campus)
Internships (on-campus and off-campus – job exploration and shadowing)
LIFE Portfolio (culminating inclusive representation of development, growth, and completion of program)
Admissions Criteria
Admission Structure:
Cohort Structure
Acceptance of a maximum of 8 students in each cohort
Cohorts will be identified to begin each fall semester
Each student will receive a developmentally appropriate 504 plan
Admissions Criteria and Requirements:
In order to be sure that the Coastal Carolina University LIFE™ Program is the best match for our applicants, the program requires a completed application packet from each applicant prior to the review of the applicant’s file. An Admissions Review Committee will review completed applications and select students for admission. Applicants are asked not to call about the status of their application, as the committee will not provide information prior to the formal acceptance letter. Note: A limited number of applicants will be admitted each year in order to maintain the quality of the program and services. The decision to offer or deny admission to the program will be made by the Admissions Review Committee in their best judgment and in the best interest of the applicant. Admission will be based on the following criteria:
Completed program application and required documentation
Must be between 18 and 24 years old
Have an intellectual disability (as defined by AAIDD)
Must have NOT met the requirement for and/or received a state high school diploma or its equivalent
Have the ability to function independently for a sustainable period of time
Exhibits no or has no history of difficult and challenging behavior or emotional problems
Independently exhibits desire and motivation to participate in and complete a post-secondary program
Participate in a writing sample, with appropriate accommodations as needed, that describes the candidate’s future aspirations and career goals
Participate in a Personal Interview with support from a parent/family member/guardian
Independently demonstrates interest and desire to pursue educational, employment, and life experiences through a post-secondary education program as evidenced by the student’s writing sample and individual candidate interview
Independently express the desire to become an independent adult
Applicants selected must be available to attend a Summer Orientation, Freshman Week and Convocation
Exhibit and possess sufficient emotional stability and maturity to participate successfully in the program
Agree to actively participate in assessments, such as cognitive, independent living, and others
Participate in research and promotional activities of the Coastal Carolina University LIFE™ Program and Coastal Carolina University
Demonstrate the knowledge, strategies, and techniques needed to read at a functional level
Demonstrate basic mathematical skills and ability to use a calculator
Demonstrate the potential and desire to be successfully employed
Demonstrates emotional stability and independent desire to participate in all aspects of Coastal Carolina University LIFE™ Program and adhere to program and university policies regarding attendance and participation in the program
Intellectual disability is a disability characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills. This disability originates before the age of 18. (as defined by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities – AAIDD).
Evaluation Plan
Evaluation of this program will occur in several different formats across each semester. First, data will be collected and analyzed at the end of each semester on each student’s progress in the four primary areas and on the degree of stakeholder satisfaction (student, faculty, employers, mentors, volunteers, collaborators, etc.). Course academic status as well as developmental progress will assist as a means for measuring student performance and progression through the program. Students will be expected to set personal and developmental goals in each of the four primary areas: academic enrichment, socialization, independent living skills, and competitive or supportive employment. At the end of each semester, students will schedule a conference with the academic advisor to discuss and determine the need to set new goals or continue working on current goals. Parents of the students and course faculty will be surveyed on their satisfaction with the program and to provide suggestions for future programming. Employers will also be surveyed or interviewed regarding a student’s work habits, skills, and abilities. Program adjustments will be made as necessary in response to the data.
Internal monitoring will be conducted once per semester to measure the effectiveness and the efficiency of the program. This monitoring will be conducted by the Principal Investigators and will include outside evaluators with experience in program development and implementation and/or working with students with intellectual disabilities. In addition to the evaluation of the LIFE program, we propose to identify 3-5 exemplary programs across the United States to use as benchmarks for this program and converse with their directors for program advisement and guidance. The program’s Advisory Board will also be asked to review the program and make recommendations for the next year. The program also agrees to participate in evaluation processes conducted by NDSS and CTC
