Understanding the Differences Between Think College and the IPSE Association

Inclusive Postsecondary Education (IPSE): Field Context

• Rapid growth over the last two decades, particularly since the early $2000s$, making significant strides in expanding access to higher education for individuals with intellectual disability (ID). This growth is largely attributed to the foundational work, advocacy, and strategic initiatives led by Think College.

• Centered on expanding diverse postsecondary options for students with intellectual disability (ID), moving beyond traditional adult day programs or vocational training to include comprehensive college experiences.

• Requires both (a) a robust research & technical-assistance engine like Think College, which generates knowledge and supports program development, and (b) a unifying professional membership organization to foster community, advocate for policy, and ensure sustainability for the field.

Definition: Membership Organization

• Formed by individuals, programs, and organizations with shared interests or professions, focusing on collective advancement and mutual support.

• Members pay dues/fees to fund the organization's activities and operations. In return, they receive a range of benefits, including:

  • Targeted resources: Access to exclusive databases, research findings, best practice guides, legal templates, and curated educational materials specific to the field.

  • Networking & community space: Opportunities to connect with peers, share challenges, collaborate on projects, and participate in forums, conferences, and listservs.

  • Advocacy voice: Representation through a unified front to influence policy, funding, and public perception at local, state, and national levels.

  • Professional support and leadership development: Workshops, mentorship programs, certification tracks, and opportunities to lead committees or initiatives that advance the field.

Think College — Core Identity

• Serves as the national technical assistance, research, and evaluation center dedicated to furthering inclusive postsecondary education.

• Housed within a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), specifically the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. This institutional backing provides academic rigor and stability.

• Origin year: $2008$, when the first significant federal funding was awarded, marking its official establishment as a national center.

• Operates primarily on grants & contracts from federal agencies (e.g., Department of Education) and other funders, whose scopes and priorities evolve over time, requiring adaptability in its work.

• Primary mission: "Develop, expand, and improve postsecondary education options for people with intellectual disability," encompassing all aspects from foundational research to program implementation support.

Ongoing Federally Funded Centers (thru 2025)

• Think College National Coordinating Center (NCC): Focuses on overall coordination, data collection, research, and high-level technical assistance across the national landscape of IPSE programs.

• Think College Inclusive Higher Education Network (IHEN): Aims to build and strengthen state and regional networks, fostering collaboration among IPSE programs and stakeholders, also serving as the incubator for the IPSE Association.

Past/Current Project Foci

• Secondary transition: Bridging the gap between high school and postsecondary education for students with ID, ensuring smoother pathways.

• College-based transition services: Developing and implementing support services within college environments to help students with ID succeed academically and socially.

• College & career readiness for students with ID: Preparing students not just for college attendance but for successful employment and civic engagement post-graduation.

• Broad research on best practices, evidence-based models, and program quality metrics: Conducting rigorous studies to identify what works effectively in IPSE and establishing standards for program excellence.

Key Activities

• Technical Assistance (TA): Providing individualized and systemic support to IPSE programs, state alliances (e.g., state-level communities of practice), and newly established regional alliances on program development, evaluation, and sustainment.

• Resource development & dissemination: Creating and widely sharing practical guides, adaptable toolkits, informative webinars, comprehensive data reports, and policy briefs.

• Training & professional development: Offering specialized instruction and capacity-building opportunities for K-12 educators, higher-education faculty and staff, and vocational rehabilitation (VR) personnel to enhance their understanding and support of students with ID.

• Evaluation and national data collection: Systematically assessing the effectiveness of IPSE programs and gathering comprehensive national data on student enrollment, outcomes, and program characteristics to inform policy and practice.

Significance

• Serves as the "thought leader" and incubator for new initiatives in IPSE, driving innovation, shaping the national discourse, and fostering the development of critical new entities—including playing a pivotal role in the formation of the IPSE Association.

Inclusive Postsecondary Education Association (IPSE Association)

• Status: An emerging membership organization, currently undergoing incubation and development led by Susana Miller-Raines through the Think College IHEN grant, with a planned official launch.

• Purpose: "Increase access to quality inclusive postsecondary education for people with intellectual disability by building community, advancing knowledge, supporting advocacy, and developing leaders." This multi-faceted purpose emphasizes holistic growth and impact.

Mission

• To build a robust and interconnected community of professionals & advocates dedicated to advancing policy and practice that will strategically expand inclusive postsecondary opportunities for people with ID across the nation and potentially internationally.

Vision

• "People with intellectual disability are included and supported at all colleges and universities to pursue their desired life goals." This aspirational statement envisions a future where IPSE is a universal and high-quality option.

Planned Core Functions

• Building Community

  • Establishing and supporting international, national, regional, and state-level networks to connect diverse stakeholders.

  • Creating dedicated, accessible spaces for practitioner exchange, peer learning, and collaborative problem-solving.

• Fostering Partnerships

  • Initiating and solidifying formal collaborations across various organizations (e.g., disability advocacy groups, higher education associations) and initiatives to maximize collective impact.

  • Goal: To advance equitable higher education for people with ID, ensuring that all students have comparable opportunities and support structures.

• Professional Development & Mentorship

  • Developing comprehensive training packages, establishing leadership pipelines, and fostering capacity-building initiatives for current and aspiring leaders in the field.

  • Empowering members to effectively advocate for systemic change at local, state, and national levels, translating knowledge into action.

Think College vs. IPSE Association — Key Differences & Complementarity

• Organizational Type

  • Think College: A university-based Technical Assistance (TA) & research center, primarily dependent on competitive, time-limited government grants.

  • IPSE Association: A member-funded professional association, primarily sustained by its members and aiming for long-term field stewardship.

• Primary Outputs

  • Think College: Generates and disseminates rigorous research findings, collects national data, provides direct technical assistance, and creates evidence-based resources and publications.

  • IPSE Association: Fosters a strong community of practice, establishes a unified advocacy platform, and represents the collective professional voice of the field.

• Sustainability Model

  • Think College: Predominantly dependent on competitive federal & state grants, requiring ongoing proposal writing and adaptation to funding priorities.

  • IPSE Association: Aims for financial stability through member dues, corporate sponsorships, and revenue generated from conferences and events.

• Audience Scope

  • Think College: Serves a broad array of stakeholders including individual IPSE programs, state and federal policymakers, researchers, and families of students with ID.

  • IPSE Association: Primarily targets professionals & advocates working in or supporting IPSE programs who are seeking belonging, leadership opportunities, and avenues for collective advocacy.

• Authority & Role

  • Think College: Functions as the "Knowledge producer" and central field convener, setting research agendas and disseminating best practices.

  • IPSE Association: Envisions itself as the "Field steward" and unified advocacy hub, translating knowledge into policy and practice change through collective action.

Collaborative Relationship

• Think College will continue to serve its vital role in conducting research, collecting data, and delivering targeted technical assistance to IPSE programs as long as funding allows.

• The IPSE Association will strengthen connections among diverse stakeholders (practitioners, families, self-advocates, policymakers) and provide a unified voice to advocate for critical policy and practice shifts necessary for the field's advancement.

• Combined impact: Through this parallel and complementary work, both entities will collectively ensure that postsecondary education is a genuinely viable and high-quality option for all students with intellectual disability who desire it, promoting inclusion and equity.

Ethical, Philosophical, & Practical Implications

• Equity: Both entities actively challenge the historic exclusion of people with ID from higher education, working to dismantle systemic barriers and promote genuine inclusion.

• Sustainability: The shift towards a member-funded model for field stewardship buffers the IPSE field against the inherent fluctuations and uncertainties of grant cycles, ensuring long-term stability and growth.

• Community Voice: The formation of the IPSE Association creates a direct, formalized mechanism for practitioners, program leaders, and self-advocates to influence national policy and practice discussions, ensuring their real-world experiences inform systemic change.

Numerical & Contact Details (for reference)

• Think College founding year: $2008$

• Article/announcement date concerning the IPSE Association: $03/17/2025$ (submitted by Sheila Johnson).

• Phone (UMass Boston/ICI): $(617\ 287\text{-}4300)$

• Location: UMass Boston, Boston, Massachusetts $02125$

Key Personnel & Entities Cited

• Susana Miller-Raines: Key individual leading the membership-organization formation team, driving the establishment of the IPSE Association.

• Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI): The broader University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at UMass Boston that hosts and oversees Think College.

• Inclusive Higher Education Network (IHEN): The specific federal grant under Think College that is providing the framework and resources for the incubation and initial development of the IPSE Association.

Related Resources & Alliances Mentioned

• State Alliances: Over $50$ established statewide communities of practice, fostering collaboration and shared learning among IPSE programs within individual states.

• Newly established Regional Alliances: Emerging under the IHEN grant, these alliances aim to foster collaboration and share best practices across multiple states within a geographic region.

• Technical Assistance Centers: Includes the current National Coordinating Center (NCC) and Inclusive Higher Education Network (IHEN), as well as prior grants that focused on secondary transition and college/career readiness, all contributing to the body of knowledge and support in IPSE.

Reference Links (from transcript)

• Think College resources by topic, state alliances, regional alliances.

• Announcement of the new membership organization name.

• AUCD UCEDD network overview, ICI homepage, UMass Boston site.

Summary Statement

• Think College (a grant-driven, research-oriented national center) and the emergent IPSE Association (a member-driven, advocacy-oriented professional organization) will operate in parallel and complementary roles to collectively accelerate the advancement of inclusive postsecondary education nationwide and globally, ensuring sustained quality growth and providing a unified professional voice for students with intellectual disability and the field supporting them.