Onwards & Upwards for Eager Lifelong Learners
DeAnna Pursai • December 31, 2025
Traction and growing momentum are real.
2025 has been a pivotal, transformational year for @College of Adaptive Arts (CAA). The conversations we’re having across the community continue to affirm that we are on the right track in advancing an expanded, adaptive higher education model—one we believe can scale nationwide and beyond.
We hear it constantly: “Wouldn’t it be nice to have this model in my community?” If we had a dollar for every time someone said that, we’d be much further along in realizing our vision of lifelong learning for all.
CAA fills a critical gap in access to authentic, lifelong learning opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Across the country, momentum is growing for inclusive collegiate partnerships and postsecondary programs. These efforts are phenomenal and exciting—but many are limited to a traditional four-year, post–high school timeframe, often ending around age 22.
For adults with IDD, disability accommodations at typical colleges and universities (such as extended time, test readers, note takers, or separate testing spaces) may not be sufficient or appropriate. When those supports don’t meet their needs, educational options become narrow and limited. That’s the gap CAA is designed to bridge.
CAA is a lifelong learning model.
- Credits are earned through exposure to instructional concepts.
- Undergraduate and graduate diplomas are awarded based on hours of participation.
- After receiving a diploma, students are welcomed and encouraged to re-enroll and continue learning at their own pace, for as long as they wish.
Some students take just one class that sparks their curiosity; others enroll in multiple courses. Some explore a subject for a semester or two, then pivot to a different area. Many students value our online-only option due to medical complexities or limited transportation, while others prefer in-person learning. This flexibility is a key reason we envision this model embedded on college campuses nationwide.
Our graduate students can enroll in our workforce development program, which offers adults with IDD paid apprenticeship positions where they can gain meaningful, practical workforce skills.
We see CAA as a flexible, scalable model of lifelong learning that communities across the country can adopt—much like the way Special Olympics has transformed access and inclusion in athletics, CAA aims to do so in higher education.
To measure impact, we focus on improvements in:
- Quality of Life
- Hope
- Confidence
- Connections & Friendships
- Pathways to Contribution
These indicators remain consistently high—not only for CAA students, but also for faculty, staff, parents, and care providers. This adaptive, lifelong learning model benefits:
- Adults with IDD who are eager and hungry to learn.
- Adults seeking meaningful, part-time or gig-based employment in a dynamic, supportive environment.
- Parents and care providers—one parent shared, “I can finally sleep at night.”
- Communities, which begin to see adults with disabilities in a new light, recognizing their talents, skills, and contributions.
We are deeply grateful to the many community partners who have leaned in this past year to share their resources, insights, and wisdom, including:
@Greenbrier, @SASCC, @StateSenatorCortese, @JoeSimitian, @PamFoley, @Visa, @GoldenStateWarriors, @CDSA, @Arm, Inc., @SaratogaSprings, @BlueOakNx, @WestValleyCollege, @LaneyCollege, @Profound, @BlindInstituteofTechnology, @Hiline, @ImpactPro, @MissionCollege, @SamLiccardo, @OpenAIPeopleFirst, @TEDxViikki, @CynthiaGregory, @AssociationofHigherEducationandDisability, @AmericanAssociationforIntellectualandDevelopmentalDisability, @Brainshare, @OnlineAssistantPro, @SanAndreasRegionalCenter, @CADepartmentofDevelopmentalServices, @CaliforniaAssociationofPostsecondaryEducationandDisability, @ForbesNonprofitCouncil, @SheriJayCoaching, and @HummingbirdStudio.
The groundswell of support for this lifelong higher learning model is palpable. Onwards and upwards for eager and hungry lifelong learners.
Danielle Weaver was a beloved Professor, Director of the School of Communications, and Scheduling Manager at College of Adaptive Arts for the past 13 years. She was a shining light and constant source of positivity, joy, and connection at our college. Danie joined CAA’s team soon after she watched her sister perform a CAA puppet show at Abilities Expo in downtown San Jose. The smile, joy, and encouragement she gave her sister made her a natural fit to be a professor at College of Adaptive Arts. Danie started teaching classes with overflowing love and commitment to her beloved Cardinals while we were holding them all over town, without an anchor campus site. She rose quickly to the role of lead professor while helping develop a brand-new School of Communications, and then became the Director of that foundational school of study in 2015. She created one of the most impactful nights in CAA’s history – the inaugural Communications Showcase - held at the Corinthian Center in downtown San Jose. That was such a special night, spent celebrating the abilities of our students and faculty and enjoying the spoken and signed words. She graciously mentored our staff member, Professor Anthony, to take over the role of the directorship of the School of Communications when she embraced our expansion challenges, providing cornerstone contributions through additional managerial roles. Danie will be forever remembered and celebrated for her kind spirit, her acknowledgement to "Always Honor the Introverts," her calm, non-judgmental demeanor, and the grace she extended to everyone. It was almost impossible not to be put in a good mood around Professor Danie – she just radiated joy, faith, and hope. She would often say that if you walked through her classroom, you might be inserted into a poem or story with the students. We also fondly retain her passions for fantasy tales and all things Disney. We could always look forward to enjoying such themes together in shared class experiences and personal conversations. Danie was an accomplished author and poet who had published her own book back book, Catching Teardrops – a personal collection of poetry created during and about her journey with cancer just one year after her marriage. We lost her way too soon from this disease at way too early of an age. She impacted so many lives and was a true 'Mountain Mover' within her school and community. She will forever remain a beloved and cherished core member of our College of Adaptive Arts Super Staff.
When my son, Saïd, was born, we discovered he had Down syndrome. I was 21 years old at the time, and I hadn’t done prenatal testing because it was considered a “low-risk” pregnancy. Suddenly I found myself sitting in doctors’ offices and hearing professionals describe what they believed his future would look like. “He may never learn to read.” “His learning will likely plateau around age four.” “It’s unlikely he will live an independent life.” Those are frightening things to say to a young mother. Thankfully, I didn’t believe them. Instead, I chose to raise my son with the expectation that he would learn , would grow , and would live as full a life as he was capable of living . And he did. When the College of Adaptive Arts started in 2009, Saïd was 19—just the right age for college. We became part of the CAA community and never left. He took classes, performed in the community, and truly blossomed as a young man. Along the way he discovered that he loves theater. He also loves to sing. Don’t give him a microphone—you may never get it back. 🙂 Today, at 35 years old, Saïd lives with a roommate and a caregiving couple. He has a vibrant, joyful, independent life. And he still loves taking classes every semester. My own journey with CAA has been equally meaningful. For most of those years, I was a parent in the community. I soon joined the Board and became a professor. I taught classes like Speaking with Confidence and Joy of Baking , and eventually stepped into the role of Executive Director. But the belief that first guided me as a young mother has never changed. The belief I had in Saïd’s ability to learn, grow, and build a meaningful life is the same belief I hold for every student who walks through the doors of the College of Adaptive Arts. And something remarkable happens when you lead with that belief. Students rise to meet it. When we expect growth, they grow. When we expect contribution, they contribute. When we expect full lives, they build them. At CAA, we don’t define our students by limitations. We define them by possibility. And every semester, they remind us that possibility is far greater than anyone once imagined. -- Nicole Kim Executive Director College of Adaptive Arts
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