Let’s Take A Walk: Exploring Intellectual Disability as Diversity in Higher Education

Abstract

Let’s Take A Walk

is an inclusive intervention program bringing community members with intellectual disability and college students together to walk around campus for 45 minutes, twice a week, for 10 weeks. Qualitative analysis of post-intervention focus groups with students yielded six salient themes: (a) a new experience, (b) a new way to interact, (c) a new kind of relationship, (d) a new kind of inclusion, (e) a new sense of community, and (f) a new understanding. Findings suggest Let’s Take A Walk enhanced diversity across campus and aided in students’ sense of belonging, questioning of bias, and character development.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported in part by a grant from the Endowed Professorship on Parenting, Department of Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University.

Notes on contributors

Emily C. Tucker

^a

Emily C. Tucker ([email protected]) is a doctoral student in medical family therapy at East Carolina University. Her research interests include behavioral health for individuals with intellectual disability.

Jennifer L. Jones

^b

Jennifer L. Jones ([email protected]) is an associate professor and co-director of the Institute for Developmental Disabilities in the department of human development and family science at Oklahoma State University.

Kami L. Gallus

^c

Kami L. Gallus ([email protected]) is an associate professor of human development and family science and co-director of the Institute for Developmental Disabilities at Oklahoma State University.

Sam R. Emerson

^d

Sam R. Emerson ([email protected]) is an assistant professor of nutritional sciences at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK.

Amber L. Manning-Ouellette

^e

Amber Manning-Ouellette ([email protected]) is an assistant professor of higher education and student affairs at Oklahoma State University. Her research areas include socially just leadership education, college student learning and identity development, and first-year student transition.