Welcome to Mason LIFE

The Mason LIFE Program is an innovative post-secondary program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who desire a university experience in a supportive academic environment. 
There are five tenets:

• Students - Priority is given for continued growth especially in the core areas of reading, writing, and math. The four-year curriculum reflects all area of study. Weekly probe assessment in reading and math along with work samples in writing are markers of academic achievement.
• Families - Support having an independent student having a university experience. The Mason LIFE Program is curriculum based, not IEP driven, so students develop and gain concepts throughout the four-year program. Students are expected to navigate the campus and get back to class independently and on time. Students have the opportunity to stay in the resident halls to implement independent living skills also taught within the curriculum.
• Instructors - Master students enrolled at GMU with a major in special education.This provides them with an opportunity to work within the field in a supervised setting. Undergraduates who minor in special education may complete practicums or fieldwork providing additional aide to the Mason LIFE students. The Mason LIFE program also sustains the Best Buddies program. Best Buddies matches people with intellectual or developmental disabilities with university students and creates one-to-one friendships. 
• Employment - Freshman/Sophomores have the opportunity to hone skills such as making a resume and interviewing. Juniors are able to have campus job experiences ranging from receptionist to office skills to data entry to library paige. Seniors are supported through job practicums outside of the university with such placements as the World Bank, Kennedy Center, and Food Services.
• Research - Goal of the program is to provide evidence-based practices that work in the post-secondary educational environment servicing students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In fact, research working with visual memory and reading interventions is currently being conducted. All of our research to date is single subject design or case studies.