Ask yourself this question. “What would I need to do today if my child was going to be a matriculating university student in the future?”
If you are mistaken and your child doesn’t go to college or university then no harm, no foul. Your child will have had wonderful opportunities to learn, grow and reach their potential. You will have removed barriers to learning and growth. You will have advocated for very high quality supports to help them excel. They will have met interesting people and hung out with other students who have full, rich lives.
Your actions would likely be very different than if your vision for your child’s life is that they will go to a day program and live in a residential service.
Dr. Ann Marie Licata serves as the Director of the Pennsylvania Inclusive Higher Education Consortium located at Millersville University. She has built a community of 29 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania that align with authentic inclusion for students with intellectual disabilities.
Ann Marie has a background in educational administration and human development, and a breadth of experiences in public and private school, as well as higher education and state level non-profit leadership. Ann Marie’s research interest include leadership, disability studies, and teaching online which fuel her professional efforts.
Inspired by her loving family, she is proud to be mom to six amazing individuals ranging in age from 27 to 12. All of her kids, including the two who have Down Syndrome, plan to go to college or university.
Ann Marie has had vision since the kids were small – and she’s embedded that vision in the kid’s IEPs, home and community life.
CLICK HERE to listen to My Son with Down Syndrome will go to College ~ with Ann Marie Licata