Episode 9: PASSAGE USA with Dr. Abigail Baxter and Dr. Linda Reeves - The Path to Independence for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Many young adults attend college to prepare for a future career. It's no different for students with intellectual disabilities. Dr. Abigail Baxter, professor of special education at the University of South Alabama and principal investigator of the PASSAGE USA grant, and Dr. Linda Reeves, associate professor of special education and co-principal investigator, make this dream of attending college a reality. PASSAGE USA (Preparing All Students Socially and Academically for Gainful Employment) is a two- and four-year non-degree certificate program that focuses on life, social, employment and self-determination skills. Students in the program attend specialized classes that target the skills they need to achieve their goals and attend elective classes with other South students.  In 2020, Baxter and Reeves' team was awarded a $2.3 million U. S. Department of Education grant to expand the PASSAGE USA program. The program now draws in faculty and South students from counseling, health and kinesiology, and occupational therapy to enhance the PASSAGE USA curriculum, and the grant provides Baxter with the necessary funding to hire additional staff. The program continues to grow and can serve up to 60 students during the current grant funding period.