SELF-ADVOCATE SPOTLIGHT
The Value of Being Valued in Inclusive Post Secondary Education By John McCarty, Self-Advocate in the Leadership Collective of Uniting for Change
Many people believe that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can’t learn and don’t belong in post secondary educational settings. As part of Uniting for Change and a former post secondary student, I can unequivocally say they are wrong. A person with a disability who
experience that is possible in
included in 4th and 5th grades,
has the desire can and should
post secondary settings.
I heard my mom talking about
pursue a post secondary education, including people with IDD. Being in a college classroom with appropriate support opens windows of possibilities for everyone, including non-disabled peers, professors, and staff. We all learn from each other,
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For me, John McCarty, furthering my education was basically three things: two classes on the Perimeter College campus of Georgia State University (GSU) and General Educational Development (GED) prep classes.
“diploma track kids.” I really wanted to be one of those kids. The “diploma track kids” seemed to have a brighter future with a lot more options. They would be able to maybe go to college or get a real job. That would put them on the path
not just what is being formally
The idea of a diploma was
to independent lives and full
taught as part of the curriculum.
something I had on my mind
community inclusion.
In this way, people with IDD
from a very early age. In
add to the robust educational
Michigan, where I was fully
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When I was going to start 6th grade, we moved to Georgia, and
