By AMBROSIA SARABIA, Imperial Valley Press - Staff Writer
Monday, November 21, 2005 2:45 PM PST

IMPERIAL — Students in the Imperial County Office of Education’s special education department have been given the opportunity to attend class on a college campus with their peers, a move the department has been working on for the last 10 years.

The dream began with Angela McNeece, special education director for ICOE, and other staff members who set out to create an opportunity for 18- to 21-year-old students under the ICOE special education department adult life skills program to take classes in an age-appropriate setting.

Before the adult life skills program was implemented, students ages 18 to 21 were limited to receiving their education on one of five high school campuses in El Centro, Brawley, Calexico and Imperial with a mix of students from ages 14 to 21. The program did not allow the young adults to experience peers their age level.

Currently there are 10 students at Imperial Valley College enrolled in the new program.

“We needed to have a place for them to transition,” McNeece said.

SERGIO ESTRADA PHOTO Jacquie Luna, Beto Cisneros and Carlos Magallon keep their attention on their notes in an adult life skills class taught by Janet Otter (not pictured) at Imperial Valley College.

The new program is focused on opening new doors to students while following the goals of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Every student involved in the special education program is under IDEA, an act that pushes for services to prepare students for the transition from school to work to the community. Administrators thought what better way to accomplish this goal than to introduce the high school students to a college environment, a transition many typical students take at age 18.

The plan eventually was approved and funded by the State Council for Developmental Disabilities for a two-year pilot program. The ICOE special education department also struck a partnership with IVC in 2004.

The two institutions signed a 40-year lease agreement in which the classroom purchased by the department could be used to conduct the new program at IVC and used by the college for classes at night. ICOE also agreed to offer other sites to IVC for training.

“It really was a win-win situation for IVC and ICOE and a big win for the students,” said Ted Caesar, associate dean of disabled student programs and services at IVC.

“The grant provided us with temporary materials,” McNeece said. “Our goal for the future is have a permanent facility.”

The class has been in a portable classroom since this fall. Before beginning the adult life skills program, students had to meet certain criteria. Administrators discussed each students’ individualized education plan, a document that helps administrators determine the student’s ability, plan goals, objectives and what transition services should be included for the student.

Those involved in the adult life skills program had to show high ability levels in education as well as independence in their IEP. Once a decision was made, administrators had to ensure parents were willing to help.

“Parent support was also very big,” said Kurt Leptich, coordinator of the ICOE special education department.

Parents played a major role in the transition program, as students could no longer depend on a school bus to carry them to and from school.

“They ride public transportation to IVC,” Leptich said. “That was probably the scariest thing of all, getting kids onto and using public transportation.”

Administrators had to ensure a teacher greeted students when they arrived at IVC and were met by a parent when they returned home.

“Public transportation was the most appropriate simply because when they are out of our program that is what their life will consist of — Mom, Dad and public transportation,” Leptich said.

Aside from gaining independence in the form of transportation, the young adults are taught important life skills in the classroom by their instructor, Janet Otter.

Otter has worked with students with learning disabilities for 13 years at Oakley Elementary School, two through the Brawley Elementary School District and 11 through the ICOE. She instructs students in all the skills they will need to transition from an organized school setting to a real world setting.

“We’re helping students become more independent,” Otter said.

The program’s curriculum consists of teaching social skills, which entail personal grooming, hygiene and check-writing skills to help manage future holdings, to name a few. Students also are instructed in core studies such as math, English-language arts and speech.

The program also focuses on community-based instruction, where students are immersed in their surroundings such as going to movies at the mall, where students are responsible for estimating how much money to bring as they pay for their lunch and activity fees.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Otter said. “It teaches them responsibility.”

The young adults are responsible for deciding if they would like to register for adaptive classes offered through IVC’s disabled student programs and services.

“It is exciting for students to take these courses,” Otter said. “Some are taking adaptive aquatics in the pool and a computer class.”

Through the disabled student programs and services at IVC, accommodations are offered to IVC students during their educational studies as it offers note-taking assistants, an adaptive computer lab and tutoring just to name a few.

With the variety of classes offered, students can pick and choose classes available to them through the service.

“This is their first semester and we’re very happy to have them here,” Caesar said.

Adult life skills program student Aleick Perez of Brawley is excited about the new opportunities.

“I want to learn more and I like to read and write,” the 20-year-old said. “And next semester I get to finally swim.”

Twenty-year-old student Socorro Flores of Brawley added: “It’s cool, awesome. I love the aerobics class.”

Aside from experiencing various classes, the students will soon be able to transition into the work force as administrators are working to establish work sites on and off campus.

“Some have expressed interest in working at Target, Wal-Mart and in a daycare center,” Otter said. “Two are currently working in the library.”

Otter is trying to establish sites with the maintenance department, cafeteria and various areas in which the students have shown interest.

The program hopes to obtain this goal as the experience will teach students important work skills.

“It’s really great,” Leptich said. “We’re working on it.”

Staff members involved in the program and parents of students have noticed how the new opportunities are affecting students.

“I am so ecstatic,” McNeece said. “I’ve seen such a positive attitude of those enrolled and self-concepts blossoming on campus. Parents are really pleased at the opportunity for students.”

Irene Flores also has noticed differences in her daughter Socorro as she and other students involved in the adult life skills program are reaching new peaks of independence.

“She’s not dependent on us for everything anymore,” Flores said. “They have an opportunity to be like everybody else in a normal environment where they get to explore, talk to different people and learn like little sponges.”

Flores added: “She goes to school happy and comes home happy. She loves it.”

Staff Writer Ambrosia Sarabia can be reached at 337-3452 or asarabia@ivpressonline.com

Printed courtesy of Imperial Valley Press, El Centro, CA