The Soaring Eagle Academy: the Inception of a Comprehensive Post-Secondary Transition Program for Individuals with Intellectual Disability in Southwest Florida

Abstract

Higher education institutions committed to values of diversity, inclusion, and equity offer programs and practices that support individuals of diverse populations, including those with disabilities. Passage of the Higher Education Opportunity Act in the United States expanded access to individuals with intellectual disabilities (id) wishing to pursue higher education in Comprehensive Transition Programs (ctp s). Despite previous publications addressing the benefits of establishing such programs, little has been found regarding steps to develop these programs. Thus, this paper describes the case of the inception of the Soaring Eagle Academy (sea), a ctp for students with id in a Southwest Florida university, United States. Multiple data sources were collected and analyzed with content analysis. The findings emphasized the importance of having a collaborative team empowered and supported by the university administration to create a life-changing program that would impact students with id, their families, the campus culture, and the community. Recommendations for future research are included.