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Lifelong Learning with Friends hosts UT classes for adults with intellectual disabilities
Coconut milk, brown sugar, lime juice, chicken broth and onions wait on the tables in a room in the Neural and Molecular Science Building. About a dozen students sit crisscross on the floor as Kaelin Rubenzer stands in front of the projection screen and points to the recipe for the day, Thai red curry.
An idea that started with a neuroscientist’s personal experience morphed into a lifelong continuing education program for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
UT’s Lifelong Learning with Friends program provides access to post-secondary education courses for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, allowing them to continue their education at their own pace. A research paper published last month found the program increases social and educational outcomes for adults with disabilities.
A peer-reviewed study found that “Lifelong Learning with Friends” provides diversity training to college students by having them learn science alongside adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs). Volunteers showed increased interest in IDD-focused research, social interaction, and advocacy.
Many post-secondary education programs foster self-sufficiency, intellectual growth, and employment skills for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). However, these programs do not usually introduce adults with IDD to the broad range of academic subjects that their neurotypical peers take in college. Thus, we developed a reverse-inclusion, continuing-education program at University of Texas at Austin aimed at adults with IDD. Students with and without IDD take courses together on campus in science, liberal arts, and self-sufficiency skills. We describe how we designed and implemented our program which serves 300 students annually. This can inform the development of similar programs in other locations.
