VCU-RRTC Projects Directory
ACE-IT in College
VCU's ACE-IT in College is a higher education program for college students with intellectual disabilities. With individualized support, students take part in VCU classes, campus activities, and paid employment. More information
Autism Center for Education (VCU-ACE)
VCU-RRTC ACE is a state and national leader in developing, cultivating, and disseminating knowledge to increase implementation of research-based practice needed to effectively support individuals with autism spectrum disorder to lead quality lives in their home, school, community, and work. More information
Autism Speaks
Business Connections
Business Connections at VCU is a supported employment service provider for individuals in Metro Richmond and surrounding areas, assisting individuals with disabilities with finding employment and providing ongoing support to clients who obtain employment. More information
Center On Transition Innovations (CTI)
It is the vision of the Virginia Department of Education to create a centralized statewide portal for information, resources, demonstration, and research for educators and other stakeholders in the transition of youth with disabilities. More information
Communities of Leaders in Autism (CoLA)
The CoLA brings together state leaders in autism, including VCU-ACE staff, T/TAC staff, VDOE staff, and School division personnel. CoLAs provide participants with the opportunity to share information and experiences More information
DARS EPIC
The Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) holds a 5-year federal grant called Real Pay for Real Jobs (RPRJ) Education and Outreach, Partnership Development, provisions of Individualized Services and Capacity Building (EPIC). The goal of the RPRJ EPIC project is to effectively eliminate subminimum wage in Virginia and support individuals with disabilities in moving from subminimum wage employment to competitive integrated employment. More information
Discovering ME!
Discovering ME! helps students with significant barriers to employment find and maintain careers that align with their strengths and interests. Discovering ME! uses a youth-focused and person-centered transition assessment to build a foundation of work skills and customized work-based learning experiences. More information
Innovative Rehabilitation Training Program (IRACA)
IRACA is expanding and modernizing the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) workforce through innovative AI- and STEM-focused training that strengthens counselor capacity and builds a future-ready workforce equipped to connect people with disabilities to high-quality, competitive careers. More information
Private Day
Project BELONG
This multi-year, multi-disciplinary project focuses on examining the implementation, appropriateness, feasibility and acceptability of Project Belong, an integrated supported employment, peer support and trauma counseling intervention to support young adults transitioning out of a juvenile correctional facility. More information
Project PASS: Preparing for Academic and Social Success
Project PASS is a multi-component professional development model specifically geared toward preschool classrooms. More information
Project PEACE
PEACE will use community conversations and data-gathering to develop and implement a collaborative community plan for employment. Process and outcome evaluation results will be used to develop a model that can be implemented in any of the Commonwealth’s communities to tap into the local wisdom, pride, and resources to make paid employment a more probable outcome for people with IDD. More information
Project SEARCH
Project SEARCH is a one-year transition program to assist students with disabilities in learning work and social skills with the ultimate goal of obtaining competitive integrated employment in the community in an area of their interest. More information
Regional Autism and Behavior Technical Assistance Network
In 2016, VCU's Autism Center for Education partnered with the 15 school divisions within Virginia Superintendents' Region 1 to enhance the existing professional development model and establish an innovative regional program that focused on keeping students with ASD in public schools and collaboratively supporting the return of students placed out-of-division into their home schools and communities. More information
RRTC on Employment among People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) 2024-2029
The goal of VCU-RRTC on Employment of Persons with IDD is to help reduce the continuing high levels of unemployment among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. More information
RRTC on Employment of Transition Age Youth with Disabilities 2024-2029
The Center is organized around six studies, with topics including Employment in High School for Students with Autism, PSE students, Native American Youth, Court Involved/ At-Risk Youth (MSU), Peer Mentoring Blind / Deaf-Blind and Visual Impairment, and Foster Care Youth (UIUC). More information
Start on Success
Through collaboration between students, families, schools, community agencies, and employers, Start on Success (SOS) provides high school students with IEPs who are pursuing standard diplomas with a high quality work-based learning experience. More information
Think College Network’s National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center
Engage in targeted public awareness efforts, the development of research-based training and a regional infrastructure offering localized, customizable technical assistance and support to inclusive post-secondary education program staff, families, students, and transition professionals. The development of a workgroup focused on community employment working with groups representing inclusive higher education programs, DARS, DD systems, and employers collaborating with inclusive higher education programs. More information
Transition & Court-Involved Youth
The Transition & Court-Involved Youth project recognizes that students with disabilities represent a larger-than-average percent of the student population served in juvenile detention centers and correctional facilities. More information
Virginia Autism Resource Center (VARC)
The Virginia Autism Resource Center at Virginia Commonwealth University is a statewide resource center dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families. More information
Virginia Pre-ETS Peer Mentoring Pilot Project
The purpose of this project is to enhance peer mentoring to include the development and deployment of peer mentoring networks to deliver Pre-ETS to youth with disabilities across Virginia for the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI). More information
Virginia's Collaborative Model for Pre-Employment Transition Services
Virginia's Collaborative Model for Pre-Employment Transition Services offers the resources necessary to enrich Pre-ETS initiatives in the state. More information
Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center on Quality Employment (VRTAC-QE)
The goal of the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality Employment (VRTAC-QE) is to increase the number and quality of employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. More information
WWRC Pre-ETS Training and Technical Assistance
This multi-year project focuses on the enhancement of knowledge as well as skills and implementing effective strategies and interventions to improve autistic students' training and employment outcomes. VCU-RRTC will provide multistage training and technical assistance designed to enhance the knowledge, skills, and abilities of WWRC staff regarding Pre-ETS. More information