In the Classroom

Lifelong Learning With Friends

In 2009, Dr. Jon Pierce started reverse inclusion courses for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs). UT students can volunteer to learn alongside adults with Down syndrome, autism, and other IDDs.

(This program was previously known as: Informal Classes for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.)

More information can be found HERE!

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classes offered per semester
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volunteers per course

More press can be found here (and here!).

Previously offered classes can be found below.

Because we are offering some of our courses via ZOOM, no matter where you live, you are welcome to volunteer with us! As a volunteer, you will help adults with IDDs learn valuable life skills and sophisticated academic topics in our online courses via ZOOM. Each course consists of six, once-per-week, 2-hour classes offered at a convenient range of times and dates for busy students. Expertise in the course topic is discouraged because we want you to be learning alongside the adults with IDDs. All new volunteers that haven’t previously volunteered with LLwF (in-person or online) must attend an orientation, as well as complete a very short pre-course survey.

If you would like to volunteer with Informal Classes, please reach out to our Program Director, Kaelin Rubenzer, at lifelonglearningwithfriends@gmail.com.

If you are already a volunteer, check out our Volunteer Incentive Program here!

"[This] program presents an opportunity for the volunteers to experience a
paradigm shift in their perspective, prompting a newfound understanding
to help them better work with their future patients or clients. " ​

Emily Engelbart
"Innovative Program Gives Students with Disabilities University Experience," College of Natural Sciences Press

"Adults [with IDDs] need to interact, need to communicate daily with friends, and I think there needs to be more opportunities like this, and I’m just glad I found that." ​

Mason Rouser
"UT program turns learning into lifelong endeavor inside, outside classroom," The Daily Texan

Courses

  • [Virtual] Entering the Twilight Zone: Creative Storytelling
  • [Virtual] Fun in Nutrition: Creative Healthy Eating
  • [In Person] Disney Movies: Through the Eras
  • [In Person] Convenience Cooking: Creative Healthy Eating
  • [Virtual] Mystery Mayhem: True Crime and Detective Fun
  • [Virtual] Bazaar in Bharat: Through the Gates of India
  • [Virtual] Discovering the Power in Your Emotions
  • [In Person] Your Life, Written in the Stars
  • [Virtual] “Wanna go on a date?” All About Dating
  • [In Person] Exploration of Visual Art: Learning through Creation
  • [In Person] Disability History
  • [Virtual] Harnessing Your Green Thumb: All About Gardening
  • [Virtual]  Bigfoot, Yetis, and More: Exploration of Folklore
  • [IN PERSON] Adrenaline Junkies: Why We Like To Be Scared
  • [IN PERSON] Konnichiwa! Adventures through Japan
  • [VIRTUAL] Fun with History: Classic Disney and Looney Tunes Cartoons
  • [VIRTUAL] Adulting 101: The Road to Independence
  • [VIRTUAL] Saddle Up! All About Horses
  • [VIRTUAL] Hablamos Espanol! Spanish Language and Culture
  • [IN PERSON] Music and the Way It Makes Us Feel
  • [VIRTUAL] Motivation, Goal-Setting, and Achieving Your Dreams
  • [IN PERSON] Convenience Cooking: Asian Cuisine
  • [VIRTUAL] In Our Universe and Beyond: Diabolical Heroes and Villains
  • Gotta Catch Them All! Real Life Pokemon [IN PERSON]
  • Eating Your Way Through Asia [Virtual]
  • Learning to Live a Happy Life through the Four Agreements [Virtual]
  • Convenience Cooking: Tacos! [IN PERSON]
  • Taylor Swift: Through the Eras [Virtual]
  • Dancing Around the World [Virtual]
  • Touchdown! All About Sports by Kevin Gilbert [Virtual]
  • Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth: An Exploration of Desserts [Virtual]
  • Classic Games Gone Virtual [Virtual]
  • Create Your Online Presence! Into to Social Media [Virtual]
  • Feeling Your Emotions: Understanding Why We Feel the Way We Do [Virtual]
  • Oops! Accidental Discoveries and How They Changed the World [Virtual]
  • Art for All! [Virtual]
  • You’re Right to Play: Write Like A Playwright [Virtual]
  • Fun with Hollywood and History [Virtual]
  • Theater Appreciation: Chicago the Musical [Virtual]
  • Beyond Book Clubs – What’s Your Story? [Virtual]
  • Protect Our Planet: Endangered Animals [Virtual]
  • Onscreen Romance: Fact and Fiction [Virtual]
  • Let’s Talk About It: Dealing with Big and Small Feelings [Virtual]
  • Travel Back In Time: Ancient Empires of Greece, Rome, and Egypt [Virtual]
  • It’s Your Move! Fun with Board Games [In Person]
  • Down syndrome “I Have 47 Chromosomes. How About You?” [Virtual]
  • Gardens of Austin [Virtual]
  • (Online) Soundtracks of Nintendo and Beyond
  • (Online) Hollywood History: Apollo 13 and the Sound of Music
  • (In-Person) The Wonders of Space: Our Solar System!
  • (In-Person) Convenience Cooking
  • (Online) Adventures Across Latin America
  • (Online) Your Well Being in 2022
  • (Online) Digital Photography for All
  • (Online) Planning Your Perfect Summer Vacation: Global Tourism Adventure
  • (Online) Sing, Sing, Sing: Song and Vocal Performance
  • (Online) Wellness Journaling
  • (Online) Cool Cats and Kittens: Pawsitively Awesome Facts About Our Feline Friends!
  • (Online) Achieve your dream: Alternate Jobs Aimed at Adults with IDD
  • (Online) Fund with Cultures: Food from around the World
  • (Online) Those wild Teenage Years: Coming of Age in the Movies
  • (Online) Your Medicines and You
  • (Online) Seeing is Believing: Optical Illusions
  • (Online)Fiction in Film: Relations on Screen vs Real Life
  • Lights, Camera, Music! (Online)
  • Fun with Science: Dangerous Animals! (Online)
  • Fun with Movies and Art Class (In Person)
  • Flirting Faux Pas (Online)
  • Longhorn Nation – A Living History (In Person)
  • Movie Appreciation: Film Study of Animated Disney Movies (Online)
  • The Fantastic World of Fashion (In Person)
  • Cheers! From Margaritas, Shirley Temples, Cold Beers and More – What’s in Your Cup? (Online)
  • Movie Appreciation: Film Study of Animated Disney Movies (Online) – SECTION 2
  • Mindfulness Matters (Online)
  • Vikings Invade! Adventures through Sweden
  • The Art of Advertising
  • Dancing Around the World
  • Digital Photography for All
  • From Howdy to Hi, How Are You: Texas Music
  • Environmentalism and You: Mother Earth Needs Our Help!
  • Yoga for Everyone: Namaste!
  • Captivating Conversation: How to Strike Up a Friendship
  • Chocolate Fanatics Unite! All About Chocolate
  • Poetry in Motion: Love, Humor, and Into the Beyond
  • History of Rock and Roll
  • A Healthy Relationship is a Happy Relationship
  • Fun with Art in Music
  • Fun with Science: Crime Scene Investigations
  • Escapade through Asia
  • Music Appreciation: Broadway Musicals Raving Review
  • Fun with Animals: Dogs!
  • All About Sports: The FUNdamentals of Football
  • Fun with Science: The Wonders of Space
  • Fun with Science: All About Viruses
  • History and Hollywood: Separating Fact From Fiction
  • Staying Connected and Safe Online
  • Fun with Music: Boy Bands
  • Fun with History: Austin 100 Years Ago
  • Staying Connected and Safe Online
  • Fun with Music: Boy Bands
  • Fun with History: Austin 100 Years Ago
  • Fun with Cultures: Celebrations, Holidays and Fun in India
  • Fun with Art: Focus on Frida Kahlo
  • Fun with Science: Crime Scene Investigations
  • Ballet Appreciation: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
  • Show me the money!
  • Creative Photography
  • Sharing Best of Austin from the Eyes of Adults with IDDs
  • Understanding Our Bodies and Our Rights for Women with IDD
  • Fun with History: South Congress Ave
  • Fun with Games: Building, Diving and Exploring
  • Fun with Digital Tablet Art
  • Musical Appreciation: “Dear Evan Hansen”
  • Fun with culture: Small Screen – Big Picture
  • Fun with Science: Journeys in Marine Life
  • Fun with culture: Gladiators of Art in Ancient Rome
  • Musical Performance: The Little Mermaid
  • Stop Motion Animation Production
  • Mona Lisa, Smile! Renaissance Art
  • Musical Performance: Fiddler on the Roof
  • The Facts and Fictions of Onscreen Romance
  • Wonders of Wizardry
  • How Laughing is Good For You
  • Mindfulness Matters
  • Fun with Science: Journeys in Marine Life
  • Get to Know Austin
  • Fun with Cultures: Global Culinary Adventure
  • Fun with Music: You Can Ukulele!
  • Music Journalism for Everyone
  • Art of Ancient Egypt
  • Mad Science
  • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Fun with Music: Great American Song Writers
  • Magical Tour with Disney
  • Pandas, Noodles, and More: A Chinese Adventure
  • Fun with Culture: Beginning Spanish
  • Creative Photography
  • Night at the Movies: Oscar awards!!
  • Reader’s Theater
  • Austin Art
  • Personal Safety for Adults with Disabilities
  • Fun with Games: Contest of Champions
  • Musical Performance: The King and I
  • Fun with Cultures: Invitation to India
  • Culture of Japan
  • Austin Live Music
  • Amazing Animals
  • Mythology Through the Ages
  • Fun with Rastafarian Cultures: A look into Reggae Music
  • Fun with Culture: Pop Rocks! Pop Art and Art History
  • Dinosaurs: Digging up the past
  • Putting Your Best Face Forward
  • Musical Performance: Phantom of the Opera
  • Drawn Together: The Written Art of Comic Books and Graphic Novels
  • Fun with Science: You and Your Genes
  • Reader’s Theater
  • It’s my turn! Fun with Board Games
  • Fun With Cultures: Let’s Celebrate Spanish!
  • Fun With Cultures: Introduction to World Religions
  • Fun With Science: Empowering Students to Cure Alzheimer’s Disease
  • It’s My Party (And I’ll Dance If I Want To)
  • Fun With Science: Our Solar System
  • Reader’s theater
  • Fun with Cultures: Film Studies
  • Debutante Ball