Think College: Expanding Higher Education for Students with ID

Meg Grigal — Researcher and program leader at the Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston, where she directs multiple federally funded projects that expand access to higher education for people with intellectual disability (ID).Cate Weir — Project Coordinator for the Think College National Coordinating Center at UMass Boston; she supports colleges nationwide and has led the ongoing build‑out of the Think College website and resource ecosystem.Host Tim Villegas speaks with Meg Grigal and Cate Weir from Think College about why inclusive higher education is both possible and powerful for students with intellectual disabilities—even for those who didn’t experience strong K–12 inclusion or who don’t hold a “regular” high‑school diploma. They outline how programs typically use an alternative admissions path, focus on authentic campus life (academics, internships, social life, sometimes residential), and award meaningful non‑degree credentials aligned to career goals. Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/meg-grigal-cate-weir-inclusive-higher-education-for-people-with-intellectual-disabilities/