Coffee on Us is back! The Morning Blend is proud to partner with Fiddleheads to learn more about non profit organizations making a difference. This month we are highlighting the Wisconsin Independent Learning College.
WILC was started because one mother realized there were no options for her autistic son to continue learning after high school. There were colleges, tech schools, and career opportunities for neurotypical counterparts to continue to thrive and learn more in their fields of interest; however, nothing that met or considered the needs of individuals with ASD.
In 2012, this post secondary opportunity for individuals with ASD to continue to grow and learn was created as WILC with three students. It was a place for these students to come together and learn through spelling to communicate and other means that typical college environments did not accept or recognize. It gave the students a time and place for their voice to be heard and acknowledged. They were finally able to share their opinions on different topics such as current events and where they'd like to live. The students were finding their means for self-determination and what that meant for their future.
For more information on the Wisconsin Independent Learning College, visit wisconsinilc.com.