In this Book

summary

Young adults with intellectual disability tell the story of their own experience of higher education

 

How do students with intellectual disability experience higher education? Creating Our Own Lives addresses this question through the eyes of participants themselves. In relating their experiences and aspirations, these student perspectives mount a powerful challenge to assumptions that intellectual disability is best met with protection or segregation.

 

Taken together, the essays expose and contradict the inherently ableist claim that individuals with intellectual disability cannot be reliable storytellers. Instead, their deeply informative stories serve as a corrective narrative. The first of the four sections, “Laying the Foundation: Why Everyone Belongs in College,” focuses on belonging and inclusion; the second, “Opening Up Possibilities: Overcoming Doubt and Uncertainty,” conveys the optimism of this generation of advocates through stories of personal hardship, hopeful perseverance, and triumph over adversity; the third, “Inclusion as Action: Diversifying Student Experiences,” supports the understanding of diverse student experiences in inclusive higher education; and the fourth, “Supporting Growth: Peer Mentoring and Advice,” offers guidance to those reimagining and creating educational spaces.

 

Students with disabilities belong in higher education. Not only does this book serve as an important record of students enrolled in inclusive higher education programs, it is also an unprecedented resource, packed with information and inspiration both for parents seeking opportunities for their children and for individuals with intellectual disability who aspire to attend college.

 

Contributors: Makayla Adkins, Olivia Baist, Brandon Baldwin, George Barham, Marquavious Barnes, Katie Bartlett, Steven Brief, De'Onte Brown, Meghan Brozaitis, Mary Bryant, Gracie Carrol, Taylor Cathey, Maia Chamberlain, Antonio E. Contreras, Kim Dean, Elizabeth Droessler, Katie Ducett, Keiron Dyck, Rachel Gomez, Deriq Graves, Micah Gray, Maggie Guillaume, Cleo Hamilton, Nathan Heald, Joshua R. Hourigan, Hannah Lenae Humes, Courtney Jorgensen, Eilish Kelderman, Kailin Kelderman, Kenneth Kelty, Kaelan Knowles, Karlee Lambert, Kate Lisotta, Rachel Mast, Elise McDaniel, Emma Miller, Jake Miller, Lydia Newnum, Brenna Mantz Nielsen, Carly O’Connell, Nadia Osbey, Stirling Peebles, Breyan Pettaway, Amanda Pilkenton, True Rafferty, Taylor Ruppe, Lawrence Sapp, Tyler Shore, Brianna Silva, Alex Smith, Elliott Smith, Phillandra Smith, Payton Storms, Allen Thomas, Kylie Walter, Stephen Wanser, Sayid Webb, Breana Whittlesey, Luke Wilcox, Adam Wolfond.

Table of Contents

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  1. Cover Page
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  1. Half-Title Page, Title Page, Copyright
  2. pp. i-vi
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  1. Contents
  2. pp. vii-x
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  1. Introduction: Recognizing Student Voice in Inclusive Higher Education
  2. Michael Gill and Beth Myers
  3. pp. xi-xxxii
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  1. Part I. Laying the Foundation: Why Everyone Belongs in College
  2. pp. 1-2
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  1. Chapter 1. I Want to Go to College
  2. Antonio E. Contreras
  3. pp. 3-9
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  1. Chapter 2. I Got In
  2. Taylor Ruppe
  3. p. 10
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  1. Chapter 3. Adventures in Postsecondary Education
  2. Stirling Peebles
  3. pp. 11-17
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  1. Chapter 4. A Language to Open
  2. Adam Wolfond
  3. pp. 18-24
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  1. Chapter 5. "The Wanderer" and "This Is What I Sing"
  2. Steven Brief
  3. pp. 25-27
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  1. Chapter 6. My History of the Excel Program
  2. Alex Smith
  3. pp. 28-31
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  1. Chapter 7. Taking the Llama for a Walk and Other Things That Helped Us
  2. Olivia Baist and Kylie Walter
  3. pp. 32-50
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  1. Part II. Opening Up Possibilities: Overcoming Doubt and Uncertainty
  2. pp. 51-52
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  1. Chapter 8. Being Independent Has Risks: How to Recover When Something Terrible Happens
  2. Kailin Kelderman, Eilish Kelderman, and Mary Bryant
  3. pp. 53-67
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  1. Chapter 9. Spartan Kid: Journeys
  2. Brandon Baldwin
  3. pp. 68-78
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  1. Chapter 10. Best Experiences at IDEAL
  2. De’Onte Brown, Deriq Graves, Nadia Osbey, Breyan Pettaway, and Sayid Webb
  3. pp. 79-82
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  1. Chapter 11. Two Poems
  2. Carly O’Connell
  3. p. 83
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  1. Chapter 12. Goal(s) in Common
  2. Hannah Lenae Humes
  3. pp. 84-86
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  1. Chapter 13. I Did What They Said I Couldn't
  2. Allen Thomas
  3. pp. 87-88
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  1. Chapter 14. Climbing Higher and "From Mission Impossible to Mission Possible"
  2. Courtney Jorgensen
  3. pp. 89-90
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  1. Chapter 15. Inclusive College on Zoom?: My Inclusive Higher Education 2020 Experience
  2. Stephen Wanser, Kate Lisotta, and Kim Dean
  3. pp. 91-96
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  1. Chapter 16. Inclusive College for All and How My Perception of My History Prof Changed
  2. Keiron Dyck
  3. pp. 97-100
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  1. Chapter 17. Qua's GT Excel Life and "Never Give Up"
  2. Marquavious Barnes
  3. pp. 101-103
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  1. Chapter 18. Photo Essays and Selections from Student Leadership Conference 2019
  2. Breana Whittlesey, Kaelan Knowles, Elise McDaniel, Kenneth Kelty, Katie Bartlett, and Rachel Mast
  3. pp. 104-114
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  1. Part III. Inclusion as Action: Diversifying Student Experiences
  2. pp. 115-116
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  1. Chapter 19. Hi, I'm Jake Miller
  2. Jake Miller and Katie Ducett
  3. pp. 117-128
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  1. Chapter 20. "BGWYN" and "Confidence with Curves"
  2. Taylor Cathey
  3. pp. 129-131
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  1. Chapter 21. Inclusive College Education
  2. Micah Gray, with Karlee Lambert and Lydia Newnum
  3. pp. 132-135
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  1. Chapter 22. My UC Perspective
  2. Joshua R. Hourigan
  3. pp. 136-138
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  1. Chapter 23. Phoenix Nation as in Spirit
  2. Cleo Hamilton
  3. pp. 139-143
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  1. Chapter 24. My Excel Story
  2. George Barham
  3. pp. 144-145
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  1. Chapter 25. #CreatingMyOwnLife
  2. Payton Storms
  3. pp. 146-149
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  1. Chapter 26. Inclusive College Education
  2. Makayla Adkins
  3. pp. 150-152
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  1. Chapter 27. My Story about Aggies Elevated at Utah State University
  2. Brenna Mantz Nielsen
  3. pp. 153-156
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  1. Chapter 28. Questions and Answers
  2. Lawrence Sapp
  3. pp. 157-161
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  1. Chapter 29. College Memories but Ready for What's Next
  2. Amanda Pilkenton
  3. pp. 162-165
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  1. Chapter 30. Full Year of College
  2. Luke Wilcox
  3. pp. 166-169
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  1. Chapter 31. My Favorite Memories in College
  2. Elizabeth Droessler
  3. pp. 170-172
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  1. Part IV. Supporting Growth: Peer Mentoring and Support
  2. pp. 173-174
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  1. Chapter 32. Communicating Successfully in College
  2. Maia Chamberlain
  3. pp. 175-176
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  1. Chapter 33. True Rafferty Interviewed
  2. True Rafferty, with Nathan Heald
  3. pp. 177-182
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  1. Chapter 34. College Program Experience
  2. Gracie Carroll
  3. pp. 183-184
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  1. Chapter 35. Teaching, Assisting, Reflecting: Our Experience Working Together
  2. Phillandra Smith and Meghan Brozaitis
  3. pp. 185-194
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  1. Chapter 36. My Georgia Tech Excel Story
  2. Maggie Guillaume
  3. pp. 195-201
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  1. Chapter 37. Emma's Journey
  2. Emma Miller
  3. pp. 202-204
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  1. Chapter 38. Come Read about My Awesome Journeys through Life
  2. Brianna Silva
  3. pp. 205-206
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  1. Chapter 39. My Social Experience throughout Georgia Tech
  2. Rachel Gomez
  3. pp. 207-209
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  1. Chapter 40. The Importance of Goals
  2. Tyler Shore
  3. pp. 210-214
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  1. Chapter 41. Support and Encouragement for the Ones Who Seek It
  2. Elliott Smith
  3. pp. 215-218
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  1. Coda: Why This Collection?
  2. Beth Myers and Michael Gill
  3. pp. 219-224
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  1. Acknowledgments
  2. pp. 225-226
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  1. Contributors
  2. pp. 227-237
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