Every year the Think College National Coordinating Center (NCC) invites the project directors and key staff from TPSID model demonstration sites to network and share ideas, present on key features of postsecondary education programs for students with intellectual disability, and to gain new insights from their data. This year was no different, except it was. We held the entire meeting virtually - and due to that new structure, we have recordings of all the Project Director meeting sessions presented by TPSID and Coordinating Center staff, and we want to share them with others who may benefit.
To review the twenty nine videos that share promising practices in quality postsecondary education for students with ID, visit the 2020 Project Director Meeting Video Channel. You will find videos of presentation by TPSID staff on program development, peer mentoring, policy and advocacy, student credentials, academic access, employment services, students supports, and more.
The keynote presentations are included in the channel as well. We were honored to welcome special guest Madeleine Will, former Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and one of the founders of the current movement for postsecondary education for students with ID as our opening keynote speaker. She participated in a Q&A hosted by Dr. Meg Grigal of Think College about the development of PSE programs. Stephanie Smith Lee, National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) Senior Policy Advisor and Chair of the Think College Accreditation Committee, spoke about the development of model accreditation standards and what these standards would mean to the future of college programs. As a tribute to the 2015-2020 TPSID projects, Clare Papay produced a short graduation video to honor all of their hard work and dedication to improving learning opportunities for students with intellectual disability.
Being able to share this rich content from the TPSID Project Director Meeting with everyone who is interested is certainly a huge silver lining of the virtual conference. We hope it inspires, teaches and informs!