Overview of PathAble x MCCC Discovery Study: Strengthening Support for Neurodivergent and Disabled Students
A discovery study at Mercer County Community College answering one question clearly: what does the full experience of a neurodivergent or disabled student at the college actually look like, and what would it take to make it better? Over the summer and fall of 2026 we are running anonymized surveys and focus groups with advising staff, accommodations and disability services staff, full-time and adjunct faculty, and students. The research examines who MCCC’s neurodivergent and disabled student population really is, what supports are in place and how well they work, and how the college can better prepare these students for the workforce or transfer to a four-year institution. This is a study, not a software rollout — all data is anonymized and reported only in aggregate. Deliverable: a findings report and recommended strategic plan in December 2026, feeding directly into MCCC’s rebuild of its career and transfer function.
Our Ask
We are requesting $20,000 to support our discovery research with Mercer County Community College (MCCC) — funding surveys and focus groups with advising staff, accommodations and disability services staff, faculty, and students, plus analysis and a findings report with a recommended strategic plan due December 2026.
Institution & Principal Investigator
Partner institution: Mercer County Community College, West Windsor, NJ. Institutional sponsor: Dr. James Whitney III, MSW, Ed.D., Associate Provost for Academic Operations, College Strategy & Institutional Improvement. Study lead: Burt Brooks, Founder/CEO, PathAble AI (20+ years in I/DD and human services), with Dr. Nichol Killian, DSocSci, Director of Advising and Academic Support, coordinating campus participation.
Research Capital Needs & Timeline
Ask: $20,000 to fund participant engagement, surveys and focus groups across four stakeholder groups, analysis, and reporting. Timeline: staff surveys and focus groups June–July 2026 (advising team June 24; accommodations team week of June 29); in-person student sessions begin August 2026; faculty and student engagement continues through the fall semester; findings report and recommended strategic plan delivered December 2026.
Research Status & Prior Funding
Active and underway. Agreements (NDA and SOW, with FERPA compliance language) are fully executed, the study kicked off May 18, 2026, surveys are built, and the first staff focus groups are scheduled for late June. PathAble has self-funded the work to date and provides the study at no cost to the college; no external funding has been received for this research. Separately, PathAble is pursuing the NJ DVRS grant opportunity for its broader platform work.
Research Team & Collaboration
PathAble team: Burt Brooks (Founder/CEO, study lead), Jake Shilling (Co-founder/CTO), Daniela Rivera (CFO), Saad Khan (AI Engineering Lead), Connie Gilbert Rust (COO). MCCC collaborators: Dr. James Whitney III (Associate Provost), Dr. Nichol Killian (Director, Advising and Academic Support), Arlene Stinson (Director, accommodations/disability services), and Dr. Dekia Gray. We welcome research partners and funders interested in replicating the study at other community colleges and will share aggregated, de-identified findings with the field.