I want you to think about the most important decision you’ve ever made in
important decision you’ve ever made in
important decision you’ve ever made in your life
your life
your life the decision that made you who you are
the decision that made you who you are
the decision that made you who you are maybe it was where to go to school or
maybe it was where to go to school or
maybe it was where to go to school or what to study in school or who to marry
what to study in school or who to marry
what to study in school or who to marry or who not to marry where to live what
or who not to marry where to live what
or who not to marry where to live what is that decision that you made that made
is that decision that you made that made
is that decision that you made that made you the person that you are today
you the person that you are today
you the person that you are today now imagine that from the time you were
now imagine that from the time you were
now imagine that from the time you were born you were told you had no choices
born you were told you had no choices
born you were told you had no choices you had no options you will not have a
you had no options you will not have a
you had no options you will not have a job you will not have friends you will
job you will not have friends you will
job you will not have friends you will forever stay in your parents home and
forever stay in your parents home and
forever stay in your parents home and never have your own home that is the
never have your own home that is the
never have your own home that is the reality forever 4 million Americans with
reality forever 4 million Americans with
reality forever 4 million Americans with intellectual disabilities from the time
intellectual disabilities from the time
intellectual disabilities from the time they are born they are told you don’t
they are born they are told you don’t
they are born they are told you don’t have a choice
have a choice
have a choice you will not have a life so what happens
you will not have a life so what happens
you will not have a life so what happens to him they end up stuck on their
to him they end up stuck on their
to him they end up stuck on their parents couch doing nothing for their
parents couch doing nothing for their
parents couch doing nothing for their entire lives
entire lives
entire lives no maybe sitting on the couch would be
no maybe sitting on the couch would be
no maybe sitting on the couch would be fun for a day or two but not year after
fun for a day or two but not year after
fun for a day or two but not year after year after year only 15 percent of
year after year only 15 percent of
year after year only 15 percent of people with intellectual disabilities
people with intellectual disabilities
people with intellectual disabilities have jobs everybody else is on the couch
so let me tell you a little bit about
so let me tell you a little bit about will will was born with an intellectual
will will was born with an intellectual
will will was born with an intellectual disability and he went to school he went
disability and he went to school he went
disability and he went to school he went to elementary school and he was in a
to elementary school and he was in a
to elementary school and he was in a separate segregated class for other
separate segregated class for other
separate segregated class for other students with disabilities two or three
students with disabilities two or three
students with disabilities two or three times a week he was brought down to the
times a week he was brought down to the
times a week he was brought down to the regular education class so that he can
regular education class so that he can
regular education class so that he can meet some kids and say hi and sing a few
meet some kids and say hi and sing a few
meet some kids and say hi and sing a few songs that’s pretty much the way his
songs that’s pretty much the way his
songs that’s pretty much the way his education progressed the whole time he
education progressed the whole time he
education progressed the whole time he was in school
was in school
was in school around third grade we sort of got rid of
around third grade we sort of got rid of
around third grade we sort of got rid of the academics cuz he had some major
the academics cuz he had some major
the academics cuz he had some major learning challenges but everybody knew
learning challenges but everybody knew
learning challenges but everybody knew his face and they would high-five him in
his face and they would high-five him in
his face and they would high-five him in the hallway hey man how you doing how
the hallway hey man how you doing how
the hallway hey man how you doing how you doing but nobody ever stopped to
you doing but nobody ever stopped to
you doing but nobody ever stopped to listen to see how he was actually doing
listen to see how he was actually doing
listen to see how he was actually doing they just knew his face knew he had a
they just knew his face knew he had a
they just knew his face knew he had a disability and wanted him to be happy so
disability and wanted him to be happy so
disability and wanted him to be happy so they high-fived in the hallway
they high-fived in the hallway
they high-fived in the hallway actually everyone knew his face so well
actually everyone knew his face so well
actually everyone knew his face so well that by the time he was a senior he was
that by the time he was a senior he was
that by the time he was a senior he was voted homecoming king and at the
voted homecoming king and at the
voted homecoming king and at the homecoming football game the news came
homecoming football game the news came
homecoming football game the news came out and they did this whole thing about
out and they did this whole thing about
out and they did this whole thing about how this special guy
how this special guy
how this special guy was so loved that he was homecoming king
was so loved that he was homecoming king
was so loved that he was homecoming king but when the game was over he went home
but when the game was over he went home
but when the game was over he went home by himself there were no friends coming
by himself there were no friends coming
by himself there were no friends coming over for a party there were no text
over for a party there were no text
over for a party there were no text messages there was nothing because
messages there was nothing because
messages there was nothing because nobody really knew him they just knew
nobody really knew him they just knew
nobody really knew him they just knew that he had a disability and gave him a
that he had a disability and gave him a
that he had a disability and gave him a good high-five
good high-five
good high-five so when wil graduated from high school
so when wil graduated from high school
so when wil graduated from high school he did what most people with
he did what most people with
he did what most people with intellectual disabilities do he went
intellectual disabilities do he went
intellectual disabilities do he went home and he sat on the couch year after
home and he sat on the couch year after
home and he sat on the couch year after year after year but then something
year after year but then something
year after year but then something happened in 2008 the higher education
happened in 2008 the higher education
happened in 2008 the higher education Opportunity Act was passed with this act
Opportunity Act was passed with this act
Opportunity Act was passed with this act people with intellectual disabilities
people with intellectual disabilities
people with intellectual disabilities were given the option to go to the place
were given the option to go to the place
were given the option to go to the place where everybody else in America goes
where everybody else in America goes
where everybody else in America goes after high school to figure out who they
after high school to figure out who they
after high school to figure out who they are and what they want to do this act
are and what they want to do this act
are and what they want to do this act gives people with intellectual
gives people with intellectual
gives people with intellectual disabilities the option of going to
disabilities the option of going to
disabilities the option of going to college now there’s over 200
college now there’s over 200
college now there’s over 200 post-secondary college programs for
post-secondary college programs for
post-secondary college programs for students with intellectual disabilities
students with intellectual disabilities
students with intellectual disabilities when I say intellectual disability I
when I say intellectual disability I
when I say intellectual disability I mean people whose IQs are below 70 they
mean people whose IQs are below 70 they
mean people whose IQs are below 70 they really struggle in learning academics
really struggle in learning academics
really struggle in learning academics they struggle learning those activities
they struggle learning those activities
they struggle learning those activities of daily living and they struggle with
of daily living and they struggle with
of daily living and they struggle with social skills so now they have the
social skills so now they have the
social skills so now they have the opportunity to go to college and receive
opportunity to go to college and receive
opportunity to go to college and receive an education in all of these areas so
an education in all of these areas so
an education in all of these areas so there’s now 200 programs across the
there’s now 200 programs across the
there’s now 200 programs across the country there’s a clearinghouse called
country there’s a clearinghouse called
country there’s a clearinghouse called think College net where people can go
think College net where people can go
think College net where people can go and get information about these programs
and get information about these programs
and get information about these programs but every program is very very different
but every program is very very different
but every program is very very different I’m going to tell you about the one
I’m going to tell you about the one
I’m going to tell you about the one we’ll went to so there’s four parts to
we’ll went to so there’s four parts to
we’ll went to so there’s four parts to this education it’s College so obviously
this education it’s College so obviously
this education it’s College so obviously we’re gonna have some academics students
we’re gonna have some academics students
we’re gonna have some academics students with intellectual disabilities have the
with intellectual disabilities have the
with intellectual disabilities have the opportunity to go to traditional classes
opportunity to go to traditional classes
opportunity to go to traditional classes with traditional college students not
with traditional college students not
with traditional college students not everybody in the room knows they have a
everybody in the room knows they have a
everybody in the room knows they have a disability but they have the Opera
disability but they have the Opera
disability but they have the Opera to learn and they can’t learn at all
to learn and they can’t learn at all
to learn and they can’t learn at all because of their disability but maybe
because of their disability but maybe
because of their disability but maybe they can learn 20% or 40% but that’s 20
they can learn 20% or 40% but that’s 20
they can learn 20% or 40% but that’s 20 or 40 percent more than they got sitting
or 40 percent more than they got sitting
or 40 percent more than they got sitting on the couch doing nothing and not only
on the couch doing nothing and not only
on the couch doing nothing and not only do they have the opportunity to learn
do they have the opportunity to learn
do they have the opportunity to learn content they have the opportunity to
content they have the opportunity to
content they have the opportunity to learn all that other stuff you learn by
learn all that other stuff you learn by
learn all that other stuff you learn by going to college how to be responsible
going to college how to be responsible
going to college how to be responsible how to have follow-through how to
how to have follow-through how to
how to have follow-through how to participate and be responsible for your
participate and be responsible for your
participate and be responsible for your own learning in addition to an education
own learning in addition to an education
own learning in addition to an education and academic these programs also provide
and academic these programs also provide
and academic these programs also provide an education and independent living part
an education and independent living part
an education and independent living part of that definition of intellectual
of that definition of intellectual
of that definition of intellectual disability includes really struggling
disability includes really struggling
disability includes really struggling with learning the activities of daily
with learning the activities of daily
with learning the activities of daily living so by having the opportunity to
living so by having the opportunity to
living so by having the opportunity to go to college and live in a dorm and
go to college and live in a dorm and
go to college and live in a dorm and live independently while receiving an
live independently while receiving an
live independently while receiving an education students have the opportunity
education students have the opportunity
education students have the opportunity to learn all of that stuff that
to learn all of that stuff that
to learn all of that stuff that everybody else can just sort of figure
everybody else can just sort of figure
everybody else can just sort of figure out but because of their disability
out but because of their disability
out but because of their disability these students can’t living in the dorms
these students can’t living in the dorms
these students can’t living in the dorms they can make mistakes while they have
they can make mistakes while they have
they can make mistakes while they have support to learn from those mistakes and
support to learn from those mistakes and
support to learn from those mistakes and they can learn how to do laundry and
they can learn how to do laundry and
they can learn how to do laundry and manage time and how you make it through
manage time and how you make it through
manage time and how you make it through a day from start to finish how you get
a day from start to finish how you get
a day from start to finish how you get from here to there how you plan out your
from here to there how you plan out your
from here to there how you plan out your day these are all things that have stood
day these are all things that have stood
day these are all things that have stood in the way traditionally for students
in the way traditionally for students
in the way traditionally for students with intellectual disabilities to make
with intellectual disabilities to make
with intellectual disabilities to make it in this world and now they can
it in this world and now they can
it in this world and now they can receive that education in addition to
receive that education in addition to
receive that education in addition to that these programs have education in
that these programs have education in
that these programs have education in the area of socialization this one’s
the area of socialization this one’s
the area of socialization this one’s kind of hard to teach because we’ve
kind of hard to teach because we’ve
kind of hard to teach because we’ve really taught people with intellectual
really taught people with intellectual
really taught people with intellectual disabilities that they’re exceptional
disabilities that they’re exceptional
disabilities that they’re exceptional that they need exceptional and different
that they need exceptional and different
that they need exceptional and different treatment but that actually gets in the
treatment but that actually gets in the
treatment but that actually gets in the way so we want students with
way so we want students with
way so we want students with intellectual disabilities to be able to
intellectual disabilities to be able to
intellectual disabilities to be able to go to college and be treated like
go to college and be treated like
go to college and be treated like everyone else when they arrived at
everyone else when they arrived at
everyone else when they arrived at campus on that first day the president
campus on that first day the president
campus on that first day the president of the university does not need to know
of the university does not need to know
of the university does not need to know the names of the students that have
the names of the students that have
the names of the students that have disabilities unless the president of the
disabilities unless the president of the
disabilities unless the president of the university knows the name of every
university knows the name of every
university knows the name of every single freshman coming in this school we
single freshman coming in this school we
single freshman coming in this school we want students to be able to join clubs
want students to be able to join clubs
want students to be able to join clubs and Greek life and participate like
and Greek life and participate like
and Greek life and participate like everyone else without being high-fived
everyone else without being high-fived
everyone else without being high-fived and treated differently because of that
and treated differently because of that
and treated differently because of that disability we want a student like we’ll
disability we want a student like we’ll
disability we want a student like we’ll to be able to join if return
to be able to join if return
to be able to join if return and just enjoy the day with his brothers
and just enjoy the day with his brothers
and just enjoy the day with his brothers and not have newscasters come in and say
and not have newscasters come in and say
and not have newscasters come in and say look an exceptional student has joined
look an exceptional student has joined
look an exceptional student has joined an exceptional organization we want the
an exceptional organization we want the
an exceptional organization we want the same treatment so that he can learn how
same treatment so that he can learn how
same treatment so that he can learn how to interact because when he has a job
to interact because when he has a job
to interact because when he has a job one day he’s gonna need to know how to
one day he’s gonna need to know how to
one day he’s gonna need to know how to interact with his co-workers when he has
interact with his co-workers when he has
interact with his co-workers when he has an apartment one day he’s gonna need to
an apartment one day he’s gonna need to
an apartment one day he’s gonna need to know how to interact with his neighbors
know how to interact with his neighbors
know how to interact with his neighbors so we want to be able to provide that
so we want to be able to provide that
so we want to be able to provide that socialization education the last area is
socialization education the last area is
socialization education the last area is Career Development remember I told you
Career Development remember I told you
Career Development remember I told you only 15 percent of people with
only 15 percent of people with
only 15 percent of people with intellectual disabilities have jobs but
intellectual disabilities have jobs but
intellectual disabilities have jobs but through an education we can actually
through an education we can actually
through an education we can actually take that statistic of 15 percent and
take that statistic of 15 percent and
take that statistic of 15 percent and turn it on its head so that 85 percent
turn it on its head so that 85 percent
turn it on its head so that 85 percent of people with intellectual disabilities
of people with intellectual disabilities
of people with intellectual disabilities have employment we do that by letting
have employment we do that by letting
have employment we do that by letting students participate in internships
students participate in internships
students participate in internships generally students with intellectual
generally students with intellectual
generally students with intellectual disabilities have very limited
disabilities have very limited
disabilities have very limited experiences so they have no idea what
experiences so they have no idea what
experiences so they have no idea what they want to do for a job so they have
they want to do for a job so they have
they want to do for a job so they have the opportunity to be in an internship
the opportunity to be in an internship
the opportunity to be in an internship each semester during the four years that
each semester during the four years that
each semester during the four years that they’re in college and try things out
they’re in college and try things out
they’re in college and try things out figure out what they like figure out
figure out what they like figure out
figure out what they like figure out what they don’t like figure out what
what they don’t like figure out what
what they don’t like figure out what they’re good at what they’re not so good
they’re good at what they’re not so good
they’re good at what they’re not so good at so that they’re on a path for real
at so that they’re on a path for real
at so that they’re on a path for real jobs real employment and that will give
jobs real employment and that will give
jobs real employment and that will give them the opportunity to make those sort
them the opportunity to make those sort
them the opportunity to make those sort of life-changing decisions that you have
of life-changing decisions that you have
of life-changing decisions that you have the opportunity to make to make the sort
the opportunity to make to make the sort
the opportunity to make to make the sort of decisions that made you who you are
of decisions that made you who you are
of decisions that made you who you are we want students with intellectual
we want students with intellectual
we want students with intellectual disabilities to be able to make those
disabilities to be able to make those
disabilities to be able to make those sorts of decisions too so that’s what
sorts of decisions too so that’s what
sorts of decisions too so that’s what we’ll did we’ll went to college he
we’ll did we’ll went to college he
we’ll did we’ll went to college he joined a fraternity he has a group of
joined a fraternity he has a group of
joined a fraternity he has a group of friends that he is still in contact with
friends that he is still in contact with
friends that he is still in contact with to this day about two years after he
to this day about two years after he
to this day about two years after he graduated he sent me a picture of a
graduated he sent me a picture of a
graduated he sent me a picture of a painting on a wall and I was like nice
painting on a wall and I was like nice
painting on a wall and I was like nice painting why are you sending me this and
painting why are you sending me this and
painting why are you sending me this and he said I’m 28 years old and for the
he said I’m 28 years old and for the
he said I’m 28 years old and for the first time in my life I can hang a
first time in my life I can hang a
first time in my life I can hang a picture on a wall where I want it
picture on a wall where I want it
picture on a wall where I want it because it’s my house it’s not my
because it’s my house it’s not my
because it’s my house it’s not my parents it’s mine so I want to leave you
parents it’s mine so I want to leave you
parents it’s mine so I want to leave you with two things one please know that
with two things one please know that
with two things one please know that college is possible for students with
college is possible for students with
college is possible for students with intellectual disabilities and it’s
intellectual disabilities and it’s
intellectual disabilities and it’s life-changing
life-changing
life-changing let’s get those folks off the couch and
let’s get those folks off the couch and
let’s get those folks off the couch and back into society with us where they
back into society with us where they
back into society with us where they belong
belong
belong and secondly I need your help I need you
and secondly I need your help I need you
and secondly I need your help I need you to remember
to remember
to remember that exceptional treatment does not
that exceptional treatment does not
that exceptional treatment does not equal an exceptional life it equals an
equal an exceptional life it equals an
equal an exceptional life it equals an exception from life thank you
”
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