The University of Missouri-Kansas City welcomed students with intellectual and developmental disabilities into their classrooms Thursday for orientation.
It’s the first time the school has allowed students with such learning disabilities to attend the university.
Nineteen new students are part of the ‘Propel,’ program, aimed at improving employment and independent living prospects for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
They won’t receive a degree, but they will receive a certificate from UMKC after two years.
"It's really important that as we move as a society to including people of all abilities that we also give them access to college so that they can build their future the same as anyone else,” said Alexis Petri, researcher at the university and founder of Propel.
"They all have things that present as learning disabilities. They may be on the autism spectrum. They might have a developmental disability or special healthcare need,” she said.
UMKC is one of 25 schools to receive money from the United States Department of Education to fund such programs.
Propel is backed by a $1.8 million five-year federal grant.
"I have a college kid and I never expected that to happen with him,” said Roselyn Turner. Her son Austin, is a Propel student.
"When we got his admission letter and I had him read it and he said he was accepted, I cried,” she said.
Propel accepts intellectual and developmental disabilities students up to the age of 25.
Each student will take 12 credit hours a semester for two years and will participate in courses with other degree-seeking students without intellectual disabilities.
The program will have two components: the college certificate program and a high school-to-college ‘bridge’ program designed to prepare high school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities for successful transition to post-secondary education.
The high school bridge program launched last January with 22 students.
Propel is the third such program in Missouri, joining programs at the University of Central Missouri and University of Missouri-St. Louis. The University of Kansas Center for Research was also awarded federal grant money for their own similar project as well.
-----
Josh Helmuth can be reached at josh.helmuth@kshb.com
