Southeastern receives additional funding for post-secondary inclusive education alliance
Friday, September 11, 2020
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University has been awarded additional funding
to expand an alliance of universities and colleges across the state that provides
inclusive education opportunities for students with developmental disabilities, such
as its Lions Connected program. Created by Associate Professor of Education and Director
of Lions Connected Gerlinde Beckers, Louisiana Post-Secondary Inclusive Education
was awarded $40,000 from the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council. Beckers
received $40,000 last year to create the program.
“LA-PIE gives Southeastern the opportunity to assist other Universities in the
state to establish inclusive post-secondary programs for students with intellectual
disabilities, and it also gives us the opportunity to showcase our Lions Connected
program,” Beckers said.
Dean of the College of Education Paula Summers Calderon said circumstances surrounding
COVID-19 allowed Lions Connected to shine as a leader in the field of post-secondary
inclusion.
“When schools and universities shifted to remote instruction in March, Dr. Gerlinde
Beckers, Mr. Jim Zimlich, and the Lions Connected student mentors continued to provide
quality instruction and support for our Lions Connected students. Teaching life skills
in a virtual environment has it challenges. Have you ever tried to teach someone to
tie shoes through Google Meet or Zoom?” Calderon asked. “The experience in spring
2020 has proven that our Lions Connected program is the example for other programs
to follow. Southeastern and Lions Connected are in prime position to assist other
programs in the state as they create and grow their post-secondary inclusion programs.”
In its first year, LA-PIE has developed a website that Southeastern hosts. The
site features in depth information on the existing post-secondary programs. Beckers
said that they also developed and currently maintain a LA-PIE Facebook that can quickly
disseminate information.
Over the past year, the group discovered that only three of the four-year universities
in Louisiana have inclusive post-secondary programs, but all three programs are accredited
by the U.S. Department of Education. Conversely, only three of the 36 community, vocational,
technical, or community colleges have inclusive post-secondary programs, and only
one is accredited.
Prior to COVID-19 restrictions, Beckers said they disseminated information at
several state conferences and hosted a town hall meeting on the Bossier City Community
College campus in March with the hope to facilitate more programs in the northern
part of the state. Currently, the majority of the programs are in the southern part
of the state, Beckers said.
“As a result of our town hall meeting, we have worked diligently with Grambling
State University and Louisiana State University – Alexandria in providing technical
assistance as they develop their programs and funding sources,” she said.
Moving forward, Beckers said LA-PIE would continue to work to increase inclusive
post-secondary programs in Louisiana through mentoring and technical assistance.
“Although we have transitioned to virtual, our goals and desires to improve the
post-secondary outcomes for individuals with disabilities have not changed,” said
Beckers.
For more information on LA-PIE, contact Beckers at gerlinde.beckers@southeastern.edu.
