The Use of a Coaching Model to Support the Academic Success and Social Inclusion of Students with Intellectual Disabilities in Community and Technical College Settings

The enrollment of students with intellectual disabilities in postsecondary education has increased steadily over the past three decades. This growth has been catalyzed by federal legislation (i.e., the Higher Education Oppor-tunity Act of 2008), advocacy, public acknowledgment that individuals with intellectual disabilities have the capacity to successfully participate in postsecondary education programs, and changing parental expectations. Although many colleges and universities have mentoring programs, few studies have explored the influence of a formal mentoring approach utilizing paid professional staff as coaches. This paper presents findings from qualitative interviews with 39 students with intellectual disabilities who participated in a five-year demonstration project entitled Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID). This project, rooted in the Check & Connect mentoring model, was conducted in partnership with the Disability Ser-vices offices of two community and technical colleges in the Upper Midwest. Students considered the two most valuable components of the coaching program to be the development of a positive student-coach relationship and the "open door" policy in which students could drop in on their coaches without an appointment. This flexi-bility in scheduling fostered rapport building between students and their coaches and allowed students to receive individualized supports as needed. According to the students, the positive aspects of the program included their improved academic success and increased academic motivation and engagement. Several recommendations with implications for future coaching models and strategies are also provided.