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AIM (Advocacy, Independence, Mastery)

AIM (Advocacy, Independence, Mastery)
Vincennes University Jasper Campus
AIM (Advocacy, Independence, Mastery)
850 College Avenue
Jasper, IN 47546
Program Contact Mande Keusch
Program Contact Email mkeusch@dspcoop.org
Phone 812-482-6661
Facebook link to program Facebook page

AIM Academy is a transition program for 18-21 year old students with
intellectual disabilities who attend a high school that the Exceptional Children’s Co-op serves. AIM Academy is a partnership between the four Dubois County high schools, Exceptional Children’s Co-op, Southern Indiana Resource Solutions (SIRS), and Vincennes University Jasper (VUJ). AIM is funded by the individual school corporations. AIM provides the opportunity for students to continue
their education in a setting other than their high school to help ease the transition into adult life.
The focus of AIM Academy is to develop employability skills in order to prepare them for paid, competitive employment in the community. Students who attend AIM should have a strong desire to work and the family should be supportive of this goal.

Program information submitted: January 11, 2023

General
Public or private: Public
Type of school: 2-year community college or junior college
Is this program a federally funded TPSID program? No
Number of students: 7
Affiliates
School district or agency partner: Dubois, Spencer or Pike county school systems, SIRS (Southern Indiana Resource Solutions)
Contact person: Mande Keusch
Email: mkeusch@dspcoop.org
Requirements
Program serves students who have left high school? No, all of our students are still in high school
Deadline to apply to this program: No formal application deadline.
Criteria for admission
  • Student must be 18 or older
  • Age range: 18-22
  • In qualify for the AIM Academy, students must: ∙ be on a certificate of completion track, ∙ have an intellectual disability or other qualifying eligibility area, ∙ be at least 18 years old, but less than 22 year old, and ∙ be enrolled in their senior year or greater in a high school within the Exceptional Chilren’s Co-op. ∙ In addition, students need to: ∙ be independent with self-care ∙ have the ability to navigate the campus and the community in a safe manner. ∙ display behavior appropriate for the workplace and college campus. ∙ communicate effectively through verbal and/or written means, or through Augmented Communication. ∙ apply with Pre-ETS or Vocational Rehabilitation. These services will help provide job search and training assistance through a local employment provider. ∙ have a strong desire to find long-term employment. The student’s family must support this desire and agree to be an involved team member.
Accepts out-of-state students? No
Please indicate which disabilities students in this program have:
  • Intellectual disability
  • Autism
Planned program length Varies from student to student
Acceptance, Retention, and Completion Rates
Acceptance rate for the most recent fall term: 100.00%
Retention rate for first year students from the previous academic year to the current one: 40.00%
Notes on acceptance and attendance: Two of the students who attended during the 21-22 school year aged out
Cost
Average student tuition and fees for the current school year: $0.00
Average out-of-state tuition, current year: $0.00
Room and board: $0.00
Program fees: $50.00
Additional costs: Around $20 monthly for food expenses (cooking activities)
Is this program able to provide federal financial aid as a Comprehensive Transition Program (CTP)? We are not a CTP, and have no plans to become one.
Students pay for the program in the following ways:
  • Local School District funds
Academic
Students enrolled in this program take the following types of inclusive courses (with students who don't have disabilities): Students do not take typical college courses
Students take courses that are only for students in this program: Yes
Information on special classes: With grant funding this year we have started a manufacturing based technology class one day a week to develop skills needed to enter employment in a manufacturing setting and also a Serve Safe Course on day a week to work toward this certification.
Percentage of academic time spent in inclusive courses (with students who don't have disabilities): 0%
Do all students in this program enroll in at least one inclusive college/university course for credit or audit each semester? No
Credential(s) students earn upon completing the program: This year they have the potential to earn Serve Safe certification and we are looking to also provide CPR/AED certification as well but it hasn't been finalized yet
Is the credential approved by the college/university? Awarded by program, not officially recognized by the IHE
Employment
Percent of students in this program have paid work while attending the program: 0%
Other career development activities are:
  • Volunteer work
  • Community Service
Percent of students in this program that had paid work after exiting the program: 0%
Additional information about career development and work experience: Students participate in job exploration opportunities such as job shadowing, job discovery and/or work experiences with assistance from AIM Instructors, Pre-ETS Career Coach and/or Employment Consultant through Vocational Rehabilitation that relate to their individual career interests.
Does this program have a working partnership with VR to provide funding, supports and/or services to students in the program? Yes
Housing
Housing is provided to students: No
Extracurricular
Students participate in student organizations on campus: No
Percentage of social time spent in inclusive activities (open to all students on campus): 1-24%
Students may participate in the following extra-curricular activities Campus events