A new name, a new year: CECH's ATS rebrands as the IDD Education Center

"These students are an integral part of the University of Cincinnati fabric and make our college and the university a richer and more rewarding place," Johnson said. "While there are other programs across the country like this program, the IDD Education Center is clearly a national leader and model for how this work should be done."

During the center’s tenure as Advancement and Transition Services, the program has served over 200 participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities each year since 2012. In addition, the center’s sphere of influence is much larger than the 200 individuals served daily. They employ approximately 100 UC student workers each year and provide field experience placements for special education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, social work and communication sciences and disorders. The center’s research network is also a driving force in the programs to develop evidence-based practices to improve outcomes for people with IDD. Currently there are active research projects in the areas of communication intervention, microteaching, the development of STEM career pathways and testing the validity of a social curriculum.