All About CLEAR
Please choose from the following questions to learn about the CLEAR program:
What is CLEAR?
Who is served?
What are Expansion Classes?
What are the entrance criteria?
Where and when are classes offered?
What classes are taught?
What is CLEAR's goal and future direction?
How do I apply?
What is the cost?
What about transportation?
Where is the drop off and pick up location?
What do I do for lunch?
What is the Certificate Ceremony?
CLEAR (College Learning Experiences, Activities, and Resources) provides non-credit continuing education classes for adults with developmental disabilities or severe learning disabilities. Located on the campus of Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas, the program is designed to teach independent living skills and provide life enhancing experiences.
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Students who are 18 years of age or older and who generally have attended special education classes during their secondary education for a developmental disability.
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CLEAR weekday Expansion Classes are open to young adults with mild intellectual disabilities and a personal desire to continue their education in a post-secondary environment but who may not be successful in college level credit classes. To attend the Expansion Classes, students must be 18 to 24 years old, read at the end-of-year second grade level and meet the CLEAR entrance criteria. Students must be motivated to attend and will be asked why it is that they wish to take classes on a college campus.
While we realize there are many individuals whom family and supporters feel would benefit from the social and therapeutic environment at the college, admission criteria will be followed. The Expansion Classes are a selective admission program and enrollment is limited.
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What are the entrance criteria?
- Be 18 years of age or older.
- Capable of changing classes independently.
- Able to communicate with others verbally, through sign language or other communication device.
- Follows instructions.
- Able to participate in small group activities.
- Able to sit through a one hour class without assistance.
- Able to attend to a specific task independently for a minimum 10-minute period.
- Free from behavior that would be disruptive or inappropriate in a classroom.
- Able to transport and take medications independently.
- Does not require extensive supervision for acute or chronic medical conditions, such as special diets or seizures.
- Free of physical or verbal aggression for the past two years.
- Free of sexually aggressive or inappropriate behavior for the past two years.
- Able to maintain personal self-care and hygiene independently.
- No history in the past two years of leaving a pre-arranged area without verbal acknowledgement of the change to staff or a family member.
A prospective student will be expected to meet the criteria listed above.
Students who are new to CLEAR must be interviewed by the CLEAR coordinator to determine appropriateness of placement into the program.
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Where and when are classes offered?
All classes are held on the JCCC campus. A seven week session of classes is offered on Saturdays each spring and fall semester. A two week session is offered in the summer. The Expansion Program offers weekday classes (both day and evening hours) for ten weeks each semester.
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A variety of classes are taught each semester ranging from basic skills, physical conditioning, arts and crafts, enrichment and practical living skills. The offerings vary from one semester to the next.
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What is CLEAR's goal and future direction?
CLEAR's goal is to provide educationally sound experiences in classrooms on the JCCC campus. JCCC is proud of its commitment to serving all citizens of Johnson County with a desire for educational improvement. CLEAR will continue to provide a full range of classes each semester based on student input. The social integration of the CLEAR students and other JCCC students will continue to provide a valuable learning experience for everyone.
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New students must call the CLEAR office at 469-8500 ext. 3247, for an application and interview.
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A fee of $5.00 is charged for each seven week class, except for Light and Easy Cooking which is $10.00 because of its length.
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Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation.
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Where is the drop off and pick up location?
All CLEAR students are dropped off in the same location, so they can be checked in. The current drop off is the circle drive in front of the Student Center. The Student Center is located on the northwest side of campus off of College Boulevard. Click here to see a JCCC Campus Map.
Students of the Saturday classes may be dropped off no earlier than 9:15 a.m. and must be picked up promptly at 3:00 p.m. Please call the CLEAR office if you will be late to class or absent from class. If you arrive late and no one is there to meet you, please go directly to your class. Phone campus security if you need assistance.
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You may bring money and buy your lunch in the expanded JCCC Food Court, or you may bring a sack lunch from home and money to buy a soft drink or other menu items.
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What is the Certificate Ceremony?
If you attend at least five of the seven Saturday class meetings, you will receive a JCCC CLEAR education certificate of completion. These are mailed out at the end of the Fall session or are presented at the Spring Certificate Ceremony. All CLEAR students are welcome to attend the Spring ceremony, but Fall session students will have already received their certificate and are not individually recognized for their Fall class work.
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Please e-mail Kathy Kennedy or call her at (913) 469-8500, ext. 3247, with questions, ideas, or suggestions.