Inclusive post-secondary education programs, commonly shortened to IPSE, are popping up throughout the country and the state of Georgia. In this episode of Pinpoint, we zoom in on one specific IPSE program, the EXCEL program at the Georgia Institute of Technology. EXCEL stands for Expanding Career, Education and Leadership and has an impressive track record among its graduates, with 92% of them gaining and maintaining meaningful employment. In this episode, we highlight voices of students, graduates, faculty and staff, talking about everything from the impact of internships, post-graduation dream jobs, and the structure that makes the program successful.

Internships and their impact: 1:57
Student spotlight: Itzel 3:40
Student spotlight: Martha: 7:13
Graduate spotlight: Sam: 9:23
Program structure: 14:15
Conclusion: 19:43
Student insight and advice: 22:41

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.