To truly provide inclusive learning spaces for all students, inclusive education must be provided for people with disabilities during the transitional period from compulsory school to employment. México's 2011 law of inclusion provides rights to people with disabilities for access to education and professional training. In the interest of…

This article discusses a Transition Programme to support the inclusion of mature students in Higher Education. The Transition Programme was designed and it is currently provided by a Higher Education institution in Surrey, South-East of England. An outcome of innovative educational leadership, the Transition Programme' successfully solved the…

For adults with low incomes and potential first-generation college-goers, enrolling in college can be challenging. The U.S. Department of Education-funded Educational Opportunity Centers (EOCs) provide supports to help navigate some of the barriers to enrollment, including assistance with completing college and financial aid application processes,…

Applying to college and securing financial aid are complex processes that can be barriers to college enrollment, particularly for individuals not entering directly after high school. These adults can seek out support from various organizations, including the U.S. Department of Education-funded Educational Opportunity Centers (EOCs), which operate…

This appendix is a supplement to the report "Possible Ways of Increasing College Access Among Adults from Underserved Backgrounds: A Study of College Transition Text-Based Messaging." It provides additional information about the study of Text Ed--the messaging strategy evaluated for its ability to increase college enrollment and Free…

This report examines issues regarding needed alignment of services and collaboration among agencies and institutions of higher education (IHEs) to achieve the goal of supporting youth with intellectual disability (ID) to obtain increased academic learning, independent living, and competitive integrated employment through participation in…

Adult students, whether new or returning to higher education, experience a unique set of transition challenges. This chapter highlights the barriers facing adult students and offers ways to overcome them. For many adult students, returning to college and fulfilling their goals is much like building a house of cards. In order to be successful, each…

This paper reports findings from research into the benefits of e-mentoring for mature students (21 years old and above) preparing for university study through taking Access courses. The research was carried out at Kingston University in the UK in the context of current policies of widening participation in higher education (HE). It was aimed at…

Universities are encouraged to widen access to a broad range of applicants, including mature students taking Access qualifications. Admissions tutors can find it difficult to compare and choose between Access and A-level applications, and Access applicants for popular courses may be disadvantaged relative to students with good A-levels. In this…

This article presents empirical research exploring adult students' transition to higher education (HE) through a program designed to enable that transition. Wenger's Communities of Practice theory has been applied to informal adult learning by Merriam, Courtenay, and Baumgartner (2003), who suggested its potential for understanding formal…

Draws on experiences of mature access students (n=23) in an inner London (England) further education college. Explores the range of opportunities and constraints mature students confront in their efforts to make the transition to higher education. Focuses on the narratives of the seven students who failed to complete the access course. (BT)

A survey of 116 London Open College Network programs found that 53% of enrollees in Access courses completed certificates; 51% progressed to higher education. Partial completers were often able to apply credits to higher education later. Subjects with the highest Access completion rates did not necessarily have the highest progression to…

Discusses literature concerning why and when adults return to school. Discusses study of 2,000 adults which investigated the concepts of transitions and triggers as possible reasons for returning to school. Findings indicate for 83 percent, learning was a utilitarian means; for 17 percent, learning was an end that justified itself. (JS)

Proposes framework for planning developmental interventions for adult college students. Outlines developmental tasks and provides overview of transitional processes of adulthood. Compares developmental versus mental health models of intervention. Delineates functional roles of student affairs staff in meeting developmental needs of adult students.…

Journal entries of disadvantaged students in a preadmission prep course illustrate the potential of such "personal" writing to perform a powerful cultural critique and bridge the gap between academic and personal discourses. A conflict appeared between literate practices students already used and those they were expected to adopt in academia. (SK)