What's Next in 2023 for CAA?

DeAnna Pursai • January 7, 2023

What's Next in 2023 for CAA?

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”- Paulo Coelho.

When Dr. Pamela Lindsay and DeAnna Pursai co-founded College of Adaptive Arts in 2009, certainly this notion was predicated on a dream of new educational possibilities for adults who historically have not had access. College of Adaptive Arts opened its door in the summer of 2009 to 12 adults enrolled in the 1 summer class in a rented dance studio in south San Jose. Fast forward to Winter Quarter 2023 CAA is enrolling over 190+ adults in 70+ weekly course online & in-person offerings across 6 states and is positioned on the beautiful community college campus of West Valley College.

What’s next in 2023? CAA is actively forging Inclusive Collegiate Partnerships, striving to serve as a value-add program for the West Valley College students for service-learning, work-study, and leadership training opportunities. CAA is excited to launch into the space of workforce development as we find our most outstanding W2 employees to be individuals who have also been historically marginalized in typical workforce environments. Our professors and staff are the thought-leaders, visionaries, and heavy-lifters who believe steadfastly in the abilities of CAA’s adult students with intellectual disabilities.

We cordially invite you to sign up virtual and/or in-person tour each Friday school is in session and meet our student ambassadors and help us build this expanded layer of higher education for adults who historically have not had access.

This is a WIN-WIN-WIN-WIN inclusive collegiate partnership model for 1) adults with disabilities, 2) for their parents and careproviders, 3) for CAA’s faculty and staff, and 4) for host-campus .edu institutions of higher learning. CAA's vision is to show how this expanded layer of college education can become as widespread and accessible in the education space that Special Olympics so effectively provides in the athletic space.

Paulo Coelho also stated, "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." It's really happening here at CAA. College of Adaptive Arts is so grateful for the ever-growing community of dreamers, believers, and supporters striving to help bring this innovative equitable collegiate model to full fruition.

Learn how you can conspire here.


#community #highereducation #school #work #training #learning #development #leadership #help #opportunities #grateful #leaders #partnerships #students. 😊

Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn't Find. CAA Story #13: Professor Anthony Nguyen

By DeAnna Pursai • May 18, 2026
CAA's Director of the School of Communications

Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn't Find. CAA Story #12: Student Andre C.

By DeAnna Pursai • May 11, 2026
At only 5 years old, Andre lost his parents and began a long and painful stay in the foster care system, not really having anyone to trust or love him. Eventually he started hanging out with the wrong people and faced his share of troubles. Being developmentally and physically disabled, people often took advantage of him or tried extorting him for money. He met two friends, Nancy and Kristin, through his church and they began helping Andre turn his life around.. Both women began helping Andre at first with essentials, making sure he got meals and into a safe housing situation. Nancy helped Andre get set with a bank account and taught him basic budgeting skills, while Kristin got him involved in stable social environments like College of Adaptive Arts. Now, at age 67, Andre is one of the oldest students currently enrolled in College of Adaptive Arts (CAA), a nonprofit providing higher education for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Every week, Andre looks forward to attending his Innercise class, which focuses on mindfulness, meditation and introspection. “The class helps me feel good about myself,” said Andre. “It helps me calm my mind.” According to Nicole Kim, Executive Director of College of Adaptive Arts, students like Andre who have been sidelined from traditional education are exactly who they are trying to reach. “Andre is proof that education has no expiration date,” said Nicole Kim, Executive Director of College of Adaptive Arts. “No matter your age or ability level, you are never too old to learn, grow and cultivate meaningful relationships” According to Nancy and Kristin, CAA has helped Andre further his education but also regain the trust to make friends and find a safe community of like-minded friends. “After our church closed, Andre really missed being able to share things with others that were important or special to him, and I think he’s found that at CAA,” said Nancy. Since meeting both women and attending CAA, Andre has said he has made the choice to change his life, and that he chooses “The New Andre” everyday.

Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn’t Find. CAA Story #11: Mimi Giannini and the Bill and Linda Giannini Family Foundation

By DeAnna Pursai • May 4, 2026

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