OLS at Bellevue College:
OLS at Bellevue College:
Innovative Associate Degree for Adults with
Innovative Associate Degree for Adults with
Cognitive Disabilities
Cognitive Disabilities
Student Video from website will be inserted here
A disability is a physical or mental
impairment that substantially limits
one or more major life activity.
COGNITIVE DISABILITY
An individual who has “serious
difficulty concentrating, remembering,
or making decisions.”
(US Census Bureau)
Percentage of adults with cognitive disabilities by state
4.3
4.1
2.8
5.5 [VT]
3.8
4.2 [NH]
5.3
4.8
3.7
4.2
3.7
3.8
3.5
3.3
3.3
3.4
4.0
3.6
4.8
5.1
3.2
4.2
5.7
5.1
3.3
3.9[MA]
4.6
5.8
5.6 [RI]
3.5 [CT]
7.1
4.6
5.8
3.0 [NJ]
3.5
4.6[DE]
3.2 [MD]
5.1
6.2
3.9
4.7
4.9
6.7
3.9
5.8
5.9
4.0
4.1
People with cognitive disabilities in terms of total population in each state
www.census.gov
Arkansas
Number
Total Population 2,044,449
www.factfinder2.census.gov
Employment Status by Disability and Type
www.quickfacts.census.gov
2013 Census Estimate
With Disability
99,869
With Cognitive
Disability
43,039
4.3
4.1
2.8
5.5 [VT]
3.8
4.2 [NH]
5.3
4.8
3.7
4.2
3.7
3.8
3.5
3.3
3.3
3.4
4.0
3.6
4.8
5.1
3.2
4.2
5.7
5.1
3.3
3.9[MA]
4.6
5.8
5.6 [RI]
3.5 [CT]
7.1
4.6
5.8
3.0 [NJ]
3.5
4.6[DE]
3.2 [MD]
5.1
6.2
3.9
4.7
4.9
6.7
3.9
5.8
5.9
4.0
4.1
People with cognitive disabilities in terms of total population in each state
www.census.gov
Arkansas
Number
Total Population 1,462,131
www.factfinder2.census.gov
Employment Status by Disability and Type
www.quickfacts.census.gov
2013 Census Estimate
With Disability
96,880
With Cognitive
Disability
42,622
Arkansas
Number
Total Population 444,049
www.factfinder2.census.gov
Employment Status by Disability and Type
www.quickfacts.census.gov
2013 Census Estimate
With Disability
56,526
With Cognitive
Disability
9,823
Arkansas
Number
Total Population 405,680
www.factfinder2.census.gov
Employment Status by Disability and Type
www.quickfacts.census.gov
2013 Census Estimate
With Disability
56,526
With Cognitive
Disability
24,849
Kirkwood
www.factfinder2.census.gov
Employment Status by Disability and Type
www.quickfacts.census.gov
2013 Census Estimate
Number
Total Population
454,597
With Disability
22,422
With Cognitive
Disability
10,693
Goals for OLS Students
Gainful Employment
• Student specific career pathway
• Living wage jobs
• Longevity and up-ward mobility
• Happiness and satisfaction
Lifelong Contributing Citizen
• Self sufficiency
• Participation in their community
OLS Alumni
Data
• Employment rate for OLS Alumni is 85%
employed (24.6% nationally are
employed)
• Median wage is $10.71/hr.
• 30% have advanced in their current
employment
• Personal life goals fulfilled (marriage,
children, self-sufficiency)
OLS Overview
• Why OLS was created
• From accreditation in Dec. 2006 to present
• Program specifically for students with cognitive disabilities
• Associate Degree in Occupational and Life Skills (AOLS)
• Non-transferable Professional Technical Degree
• 79 current OLS students, 53 graduates
OLS Summary
• Associate degree program
• Part time student
(10-14 hours of class time/wk)
• Cohorts of 12 student admitted in Fall
• Tuition variance
• Self-Support Program
• Financial Aid available for all students who qualify
OLS Admissions Information
Selective Admission Process
Application:
 Student application, two recommendations,
educational evaluation and high school transcript
Assessment Invitation
 Two hours in person assessment
OLS students: Common Disabilities
• Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities (NVLD)
• ADHD, ADD
• Anxiety disorders
• Generalized learning disabilities
• Traumatic brain injury
• Sight impairment
• Autism
OLS Unique Systems
Examples:
• Infusion of 21st century skills
• Universal and specialized instruction
• Scaffolded curriculum
• Student assessment process
• Community involvement and contribution
• Student specific career pathway development
List of 15 OLS Performance Indicators
• Punctual and being present
• Physical Presence
• Independent work
• Communication
• Flexibility
• Roles
• Prioritizing and Time
management
• Participation
• Accountability and
Reliability
• Professionalism
• Open-mindedness
• Self Improvement
• Collaboration
• Advocacy
• Self-Directed Learner
Scaffolded OLS Curriculum
• Concepts are built from basic foundations
• Students demonstrate success at each level
before moving forward to a higher level
Generalizing,
Discussion,
Prior Knowledge
Brainstorming
Guided Practice,
Modeling,
Mapping
Formative
Application,
Summative
Synthesizing,
Initiating,
Cumulative
Generalizing Into Community
• Service Learning
• Community Activities
• Service Projects
• Town Meetings
• Student Council Events
• 200 hours of Internship Experience
• Mock Interviews
• Job Shadowing
• Job Fairs
City of Bellevue
Fire Station # 2
Student Specific Career Pathway
• Specific to student’s values, passions,
and skills
• Dependable Strengths
• Workforce utilization
• Targeted course work
• 200 internship hours experience over
6 months specific to career pathway
Why replicate OLS?
• College educational need in all communities-an
underserved population
• Success rates of graduates in the workforce
• Turn-key model with little development required
• Partnerships with other colleges to promote best practice
• Good for the relationships of college and community
Examples of what OLS has to offer
• Assistance with recruiting support for OLS replication at
your college and in your community
• Assistance with set up of program and ongoing training
and mentoring
• Marketing and business plans
• Documentation from accreditation to program materials to
instructors manual
• Program systems including assessments, grading, data
collection, and software
• Curriculum and the Art of Instruction
Next Steps
1.
Fill out survey and OLS will contact you
2. Email us at olsnational@bellevuecollege.edu tell us who you are,
where you are from, and why OLS would be a good fit for your
community
3. Send the information about OLS to your administrator and open
up a conversation, follow up
4. Schedule a conference call with administration and OLS
5. Invite administrators to attend upcoming presentations at
national conferences (Combase, ACCT)
6. Ask your community to email OLS
7. Plan to attend the upcoming OLS visit in February
Contact Information
Marci Muhlestein
OLS National Director
Marci.muhlestein@bellevuecollege.edu
425-564-2844
www.OLSatBellevueCollege.com