Inclusive Higher Education

College Programs for Students with Disabilities

Since 2006, we have worked with partners to create inclusive higher education (IHE) programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities on college campuses across Tennessee.

We helped start a statewide alliance with universities and disability advocacy partners to promote and grow these programs.

We provided direct funding for four out of the six current IHE programs in TN.

These non-degree programs help students with intellectual and developmental disabilities learn employment and independent living skills. Students take college courses, have internships and jobs, and build relationships with their peers without disabilities.

The programs let students explore career options through internships on- and off-campus.

Key outcomes:

• Establishment of the TN Inclusive Higher Education Alliance
• Establishment of 6 postsecondary programs, 4 with direct Council start-up funding. All of TN's programs are certified as "Comprehensive Training Programs", as defined in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008.
  • Funded Next Steps at Vanderbilt
  • Funded TigerLIFE at the University of Memphis
  • Funded IDEAL at Lipscomb University
  • Funded Union EDGE at Union University
  • Supported development of UT FUTURE program
  • Supported development of Access ETSU program
• Passage of the Step Up Scholarship, which allows students to access state lottery scholarship funds to attend these programs, like all TN students are eligible for the HOPE lottery scholarship
• Created the video below in 2019 about TN's inclusive higher education programs