Dr. Jon Pierce began thinking about PSE issues for adults with IDD after his first child, Ocean, was born with Down syndrome (DS) in 2001. In 2008, Dr. Pierce joined the faculty of the Neuroscience Department of the University of Texas at Austin to perform research and teach neuroscience to undergraduate and graduate students.
Although he recognized the importance of job training in some PSE programs, Dr. Pierce felt that many PSE programs did not focus on learning for the sake of learning across a broad range of sophisticated academic topics – a goal that many universities and neurotypical students highly value. Dr. Pierce noticed that many adults with IDD in his community were idle, socially isolated, and infantilized. He felt that students enrolled in PSE programs should be offered opportunities to discuss and learn mature topics that are popular with neurotypical college students.
In addition to these areas, Dr. Pierce also observed that many families who have a child with IDD suffered long term worry about the dearth of lifelong educational and social opportunities for their children. Although the budding inclusive PSE movement relieved some parental anxiety, the high cost and short duration of most were not a viable option for cash-strapped families leading to increased anxiety about their child’s future.
Dr. Pierce felt that these circumstances were unjust and that his child with IDD and others would want to engage in affordable learning throughout life just as many neurotypical individuals do. In 2010, he began looking at the resources available at his university and conceived the idea for inclusive continuing education classes aimed at students with IDDs.
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Dr. Pierce, balancing his teaching position of university neuroscience courses and research, initially served as the sole instructor for the program, starting in 2010. He taught small evening classes on the UT campus to a dozen adults with Down syndrome, many of whom had never been on a college campus before.
Early LLwF Classes with Dr. Jon Pierce
LLwF has gradually grown throughout the past decade, primarily through word of mouth in parent groups and local IDD support organizations. Today, our program annually serves over 300 adults with IDDs, making it the largest IDD education program in Texas. LLwF has directly improved access to higher education and created networking, mentoring, and social opportunities with UT staff and student volunteers.
Through these efforts, LLwF continues to break down barriers and create opportunities for historically marginalized individuals, meeting the needs of our key constituencies by offering inclusive education and fostering a supportive community.
