Northwestern Michigan College will soon offer classes specifically aimed at adults with learning challenges and disabilities. The college announced the pilot program earlier this week.
The eight courses will cover a variety of lifelong learning topics, including robotics and animal care.
“They’re designed just to allow the students to explore a broad range of topics, pick up a skill, and be able to just explore further interests,” says NMC’s Bill Queen, program coordinator for NMC’s Extended Educational Services.
The classes will be offered in Traverse City this March and April.
Queen says adults with disabilities like autism and Down Syndrome have few opportunities to take courses like these.
“We’re really looking to design these [courses] at a slower pace,” Queen says. “Give them a little bit more time because other courses might be just too quick, too intense and it kind of intimidates the students away from them.”
NMC is hosting an informational meeting on the program at its main campus on Thursday, March 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. The meeting is in the Health Science building, room 100.
Correction: The informational meeting begins at 5 p.m., not 7 p.m.