华盛顿讯—坐落在弗吉尼亚州费尔法克斯郡（Fairfax，Virginia）（距华盛顿24公里）的乔治•梅森大学（George Mason University）是拉恰尔（Rachael）、皮特（Pete）、特雷弗（Trevor）和凯蒂（Katie）梦寐以求的学习之所，他们可以在这里增强自信并为就业做好准备。

这四个年轻人是乔治·梅森大学“适应未来环境学习计划”（Learning into Future Environments，LIFE）的学生。该计划旨在为年龄在18岁到23岁之间、存在智力或发育障碍的学生提供包容性学习体验。美国高等院校为传统上被排除在高等教育之外的年轻人制定了40项大学学习计划，“适应未来环境学习计划”便是其中之一。

除了开设数学、文学、商务基础和艺术等领域的课程外，该计划还为学生们提供了培养独立生活必备技能的机会。

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乔治•梅森大学的学生特雷弗为能够前往国会实习兴奋不已。

“适应未来环境学习计划”负责人海蒂•格拉夫（Heidi Graff）表示：“我们的工作是传授技能，尽量让学生获得更多经验。”

“适应未来环境学习计划”网站上这样写道：“学校通过提高学生的多样性并增加适合残障者居住的各种设施，落实人人平等、共同享有入学机会的原则。”

“适应未来环境学习计划”为每四名学生安排一位教员，因而能够照顾到每位学生的需求。学生们每周有20课时的主修课程及兴趣选修课程，并辅以参观博物馆以及运动会等活动，生活十分充实。每位学生在确定自己的目标时都可以与学业导师讨论。

“适应未来环境学习计划”目前共有43名学生，多数来自附近的弗吉尼亚州北部地区（Northern Virginia），但也有一些学生来自其它州，比如拉恰尔来自宾西法尼亚州温尼伍德（Wynnewood，Pennsylvania）、帕特里克（Patrick）来自马里兰州奥尔尼（Olney，Maryland），特雷弗（Trevor）来自纽约州卡托纳（Katonah，New York），他们来这里体验大学生活。另外，还有两名学生来自其它国家。负责管理学校男子足球队器材的特雷弗是一位运动爱好者。他说自己之所以喜欢在这里学习，部分是因为这所大学的体育学院实力强劲，其中包括一支参加州内各项比赛的特奥会（Special Olympics）运动队。

在“适应未来环境学习计划”中，约三分之二的学生（包括拉恰尔和皮特）在学校与人合住，他们能够在这里学习到洗衣、做饭和采购食物等技能。他们中大多数人都是第一次离开家人。与其他大学生一样，来自附近的弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿郡（Arlington，Virginia）的皮特说，他觉得住在学校“比住在家里好”。

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乔治•梅森大学学生凯蒂在准备晚餐的蔬菜。

许多高年级学生（如凯蒂）在学校的图书馆或健身中心或者校外的商店或地方政府办公室打工。凯蒂希望完成四年的“适应未来环境学习计划”后到小学任教，她现在在当地一家重病护理院担任兼职护理员，同时还是乔治·梅森大学女子篮球队的协理。

凯蒂是一个充满活力的女孩，她与家人一起住在费尔法克斯。她能够同“适应未来环境学习计划”的几位学生一起乘公共汽车或地铁前往华盛顿国会山（Capitol Hill）实习。该实习计划帮助这几位存在智力障碍的学生了解国会的工作。计划由众议员格雷格•哈珀（Gregg Harper）在2010年发起，他年轻的儿子也存在智力障碍。哈珀在接受全国广播公司新闻网（NBC News）的采访时表示：“我们正在帮助那些真正需要这种鼓励的人，这能大大增强他们的信心。”

格拉夫说，特奥会和美国教育委员会（American Council on Education）创始人尤妮斯∙肯尼迪∙施莱弗（Eunice Kennedy Shriver）曾赞扬“适应未来环境学习计划”是残障学生高等教育计划的典范。

一位学生家长在给格拉夫的信中写道：“看着我的儿子从一个害羞迷茫的年轻学生一步步成长为兼任两份不同工作的大学实习生，我感到非常骄傲。”

一位学生写道：“能得到这么棒的工作并且自立，我很自豪。我十分努力，承担着许多责任和职责。”

拥有特殊教育硕士学位的伊丽莎白∙香农（Elizabeth Shannon）是“适应未来环境学习计划”的工作人员。她说，这项计划使她能够实际运用从课堂中学到的教学方法。特殊教育是乔治·梅森大学的一个主要专业，共招收900名学生。格拉夫说，大多数学生毕业后进入中等学校教书。

乔治·梅森大学将在11月下旬与美国唐氏综合症协会（National Down Syndrome Society）联手主办探讨残障人士高等教育问题的国际会议。

如需了解乔治·梅森大学“适应未来环境学习计划”的详细信息（信息），请访问该校网站。

Read more: http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/chinese/article/2012/11/20121109138530.html#ixzz2C4B6mtNr

Washington — At George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, 24 kilometers outside of Washington, Rachael, Pete, Trevor and Katie have found their place to learn, build confidence and prepare for employment.

The four are students in the university’s Learning into Future Environments (LIFE) program, an inclusive learning experience for students ages 18 to 23 who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. It is one of about 40 such college programs in America for young adults who traditionally have been excluded from higher education.

In addition to classes in such areas as math, literature, business basics and the arts, the program offers students a chance to develop the skills necessary to live independently.

“Our job is to educate — to provide as many experiences as possible,” said Heidi Graff, LIFE program director.

“The college embraces the principles of equity and access to all by increasing student diversity and accommodations for people with disabilities,” according to the LIFE website.

With one instructor for every four students, LIFE offers students personalized attention. Each student is kept busy with a weekly schedule of 20 hours of classes in core subjects and special-interest electives, supplemented with activities like organized excursions to museums and sporting events. In consultation with an academic adviser, each student determines his or her own goals.

Many of the current 43 LIFE students are from nearby Northern Virginia communities but some, like Rachael from Wynnewood Pennsylvania, Patrick from Olney, Maryland, and Trevor from Katonah, New York, have come from other states for the university experience. Two students are from other countries. Trevor, a sports lover who manages the university men’s soccer team’s equipment, said he was attracted to the program in part because the university has a strong athletic department, including a Special Olympics team that competes statewide.

About two-thirds of LIFE’s students, including Rachael and Pete, live in shared housing on campus, where they learn responsibilities like doing their laundry, shopping for food and cooking meals. For most, it is the first time they have lived apart from their families. Typical of any college student, Pete, who is from nearby Arlington, Virginia, said he enjoys living on campus “better than at home.”

George Mason University student Katie prepares vegetables for dinner.

Many senior students like Katie have part-time jobs on campus in a library or the fitness center, or off campus in stores or local government offices. Katie, who wants to go into elementary education when she completes the four-year LIFE program, works as a part-time assistant at a local hospice and is an assistant manager of George Mason’s women’s basketball team.

The energetic young woman, who lives with her family in Fairfax, also is one of several LIFE students who travel by bus and subway to an internship on Capitol Hill in Washington. The internship program gives students with intellectual disabilities a look inside the halls of Congress. The program was launched in 2010 by Representative Gregg Harper, whose young adult son has an intellectual disability. “We’re helping people that really need this encouragement and it’s a great confidence booster for them,” Harper told NBC News.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics, and the American Council on Education have recognized the LIFE program as a leader in post-secondary educational programming for students with disabilities, Graff said.

“I have seen my son develop from a shy and unsure young student to watching with pride as he participates in the college internship and manages two different job opportunities,” the parents of one student wrote to Graff.

“I am proud that I have such a great job and I am independent. I work really hard. I have a lot of responsibilities and duties,” an alumnus wrote.

Elizabeth Shannon, who has a master’s degree in special education, is on the LIFE staff. She said the program allows her to apply the teaching strategies she learned in class to real situations. Special education is a large program at George Mason, with 900 students enrolled. Most graduates go on to teach at the secondary school level, Graff said.

In conjunction with the National Down Syndrome Society, in late November George Mason will host an international conference on postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities.

More information about George Mason’s LIFE program is available on the university’s website.

http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/article/2012/11/20121107138351.html#axzz2C49pQBcJ