Jonathan Else watches every UCLA basketball game. He knows every
statistic about the games and team. When he moved to Los Angeles
four years ago, Else decided he wanted to go to the school that
housed the players he so diligently follows.
Without the implementation of UCLA Extension’s new
program, Pathways, this would have been an impossible feat for
18-year-old Else, who is autistic. But Pathways is giving Else and
other intellectually disabled students access to higher education
through a two-year certificate program.
Else’s mother, Karen Else, is grateful for the opportunity
presented to her son. She said in high school, disabled students
are offered guidance through counselors and other resources within
their school, but after they graduate there are often no further
programs.
“When you graduate high school, everything goes
away,” Karen said. “That’s what’s so nice
about this program. It will help them get independent and teach
them self-advocacy.”
The program, which will start in September 2007, will focus on
academics, developing independent living skills and vocational
exposure, Pathways Executive Director Eric Latham said.
Though the official enactment of the program is still months
away, Pathways is currently offering a 10-week class titled
“Skills for Academic Success” to assist students in
their transition to college. The class meets once a week for two
hours.
“The class starts whether you’re ready or not. The
class won’t stop for you,” Else said. “It’s
challenging. It’s a great prep for college.”
“Academics is a major aspect of the program, but we also
want them to walk out well-prepared by learning life skills such as
budgeting, communicating, shopping,” Latham said.
Students will have a structured class schedule during the first
year but will be able to pick their own classes for the second
year. Pathways students do not take classes with UCLA students but
are encouraged to take classes with other students in Extension
programs and through the recreation center, Latham said.
Part of the program’s goal is to challenge the students
more than they have been challenged in the past, Latham said.
And it does just that, Karen Else said.
The teachers create hypothetical situations and ask the students
to take notes and think about the way they should react to certain
situations. For example, a few weeks ago, a teacher faked a heart
attack to teach the students how they should react if someone is in
medical need.
“They’re teaching them skills everyone takes for
granted that literally has to be taught to them,” Karen
said.
Laurie Firestone Siedelman, the Pathways program manager,
emphasized the importance of the students developing social skills,
which she said is very hard for them.
She said she has seen the students’ social skills develop
starting on the first class meeting, when she noticed them
interacting during a class break. Accustomed to being in a group
community, the students followed the teacher to a restaurant during
their break. Within two minutes of being there, four students sat
down at a table and started talking.
“We take these interactions for normal and granted, but
for them, it was a step,” Siedelman said. “It was a
small indication that we are doing the right thing.”
While Else said the transition to the current 10-week course was
not much of a problem for him, he is excited about potentially
being part of the two-year full-time program, during which students
are strongly encouraged to live in Westwood apartments with fellow
classmates to further enforce skills they are taught in class.
“It’s scary because you have to be independent and
you have to do everything,” Else said. “But it’s
cool because you get to choose what you have to do. You can choose
your own path.”
Many other students share the same enthusiasm for the program as
Else, Latham said.
“In talking to students, they are really excited about
it,” Latham said. “Like, “˜Wow, I’m going to
UCLA to take classes.’ And that’s a big deal.
It’s very exciting for them to say “˜I’m learning
more.'”