WINTER 2015 - Research Brief - Learning, Independence, and Relationships - The impact of supported higher education on students with intellectual disabilities

Oct 15, 2026

WINTER 2015 research brief summarizes HDI’s update on supported higher education for students with intellectual disabilities. It describes how students’ experiences were examined across personal and academic perspectives using a three-year longitudinal qualitative case study. Participants included 28 interviews spanning 2011–2014, with data collected through semi-structured recorded interviews and emergent theme analysis. Findings highlight academic and personal experiences, including a welcoming environment, improved motivation, autonomy in scheduling, and enhanced communication and safety.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Methodology and Research Purpose

Participants

Data Collection

Data Results and Findings

WINTER 2015 Human Development Institute • University of Kentucky RESEARCHBRIEF An update on HDI’s research in the field of developmental disabilities Learning, Independence, and Relationships The impact of supported higher education on students with intellectual disabilities David McKay, Rebekah Banner, Victoria Sherif, and Alice Rhodes The Higher Education Opportunities Act of 2008 endorsed the participation of students with intellectual disabilities in postsecondary education by authorizing Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Programs which allow students with intellectual disabilities (ID) to access Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and Work Study funds (Grigal, Hart, & Weir, 2013) . At the sametime, HEOA called for the creation of model demonstration sites. Thus, in the fall of 2010 the Office on Postsecondary Education awarded five-year grants to 27 postsecondary Transition Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) at institutes for higher education (IHE) across the country (Kleinert et al., 2012) . The Supported Higher Education Program (SHEP), administered by the Human Development Institute at the University of Kentucky, was one of the funded TPSIDs. SHEP’s central goal was to support students with intellectual disabilities toward a meaningful postsecondary education credential that would result in employment or a career of the student’s choosing. As of January 2014, SHEP had supported thirty-four students with intellectual disabilities, enrolled primarily at Bluegrass Community and Technical College and Northern Kentucky University. Methodology and Research Purpose To answer the research question “How do students with intellectual disabilities supported by SHEP experience higher education from personal and academic perspectives?”, a three-year longitudinal qualitative case study was conducted. This research design was selected for several reasons. First, longitudinal research helps identify the occurrence of a change over time, while qualitative case studies enable the collection of participant meanings, bringing subjects’ personal values to the study, and examining the context of participants’ perceptions (Creswell, 1994; Johnson, 2014; Merriam, 2009) . Additionally, a case study research design aims to engage and explore matters unique to specific social groups. As a result, it can potentially shed more light on understudied social justice issues (Creswell, 2009) . Participants A total of twenty-eight interviews were conducted across three academic years. Seventeen individuals took part in these interviews. Three of them were interviewed in each year of the study, and seven were interviewed twice (Table 1) . Individuals’ ages ranged from 18 to 24 years old. | YEAR | PARTICIPANTS | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | Total | Female | Male | | 2011-2012 | 12 | 6 | 6 | | 2012-2013 | 8 | 4 | 4 | | 2013-2014 | 8 | 4 | 4 | Research participants were selected on the following criteria: a) participation in person-centered planning with SHEP; b) academic enrollment in one of the two primary post-secondary institutions partnered with SHEP; and c) willingness to volunteer as a study participant. Data Collection The Evaluation Team at the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute collected data on SHEP continued inside students’ perceptions through semi-structured face-toface interviews, which allowed researchers to address the significance of students’ personal experiences and gather contextually rich data as well as clarify meanings of interviewees’ responses and relevant ideas. Interviews aimed to identify students’ attitudes towards support provided by SHEP, their motivation in joining the program and continuing their education, their experiences in a post-secondary environment, and future career plans. The conversations were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. The quality of transcriptions was then verified by listen

FAQs

What research question guided this study of SHEP-supported students?

The study asked how students with intellectual disabilities supported by SHEP experience higher education from personal and academic perspectives.

How were participants selected and how many interviews were conducted?

Research participants were selected based on person-centered planning with SHEP, academic enrollment at partnered institutions, and willingness to volunteer. A total of 28 interviews were conducted across three academic years.

What methods were used to collect and analyze the qualitative data?

Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews that were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Emergent theme analysis was then performed, with themes repeatedly compared to raw data until no new themes appeared.

Oct 15, 2026

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