Self Advocacy

• Accepting we all have strengths and challenges. Before advocating for ourselves, we have to identify and understand how this challenge or our disability may impact our learning in an academic setting and what we might need for assistance to be successful  
• Know what we need to successfully cope with the academic challenges presented by our limitations. Thinking about the accommodations, strategies, and services that work best for our learning. 
• To acknowledge when we are having difficulties and ask for assistance.  

Learning about our legal rights as well as the accommodations and services that are most suited to our needs is important to remember when practicing self-advocacy. 

Remember that when it relates to our disability, we have the right to privacy and confidentiality. Disclosing facts in a comfortable environment to people who need to know and can help us is a good start (e.g., Disability Services, professors). NOTE: this does not mean you need to disclose your disability but provide information about your functional limitations related to your disability. 

Each time we require accommodations in the classroom or for tests, we should make a request to your instructor to access these accommodations. In the unlikely event that a professor refuses our request for accommodations, politely thank them and leave. We should contact the Accessible Learning department for help in resolving disability-related accommodation concerns. 

Morse, A. (2016, August 3). Self-Advocacy at College or University. Easter Seals Kids at School. https://education.easterseals.org/self-advocacy/