Jeremy Ford, associate professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Community Engagement, along with Julia Gorman and Kathryn De Leon, both doctoral candidates in curriculum, instruction and foundational studies, recently presented research articulating how universities, partnerships and families can support students with disabilities pursuing higher education. Their research was presented in March 2025 at the Council for Exceptional Children Convention in Baltimore.
The team used data gathered from a fall 2024 pilot study conducted with Boise-area special education teachers. The participants earned professional development credits to learn about a model decision-making framework to help determine if inclusive post-secondary education was a potential path for their students given current skills, interests and motivations.
Ford is the Program Director for the Providing Exceptional Education and Raising Standards (PEERS) program at Boise State, which supports students with disabilities attaining a certificate in Community and Career Readiness Studies. De Leon is a graduate assistant for the PEERS program and Gorman serves as the Associate Director of the Educational Access Center.