At the postsecondary level, students with disabilities must self-identify
and advocate for themselves. There is no longer a Child Study Team to
do this for them. This often requires a significant adjustment on the
part of new college students. Horizons staff will work with students to
help them become comfortable with this new role. Here are several steps
that facilitate effective self-advocacy:
| Step 1: |
Accept your disability: |
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Before you can advocate for yourself,
you have to acknowledge to yourself that you really do have a learning
disability. You aren't dumb. You aren't lazy. You have probably worked
very hard to hide your learning problems (even from yourself). Now
is the time to take a realistic look at the impact your learning disability
is likely to have on meeting the challenge of college work. |
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| Step 2: |
Understand your strengths and weaknesses: |
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If you don't have a clear understanding
of how you learn best and where difficulties arise, now is the time
to get this clarified. A member of the Horizons professional staff
will be happy to discuss this with you if you would like. You need
this information to figure out the best way to approach your coursework
and to discuss accommodations you may need. |
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| Step 3: |
Be willing to discuss your disability
with others when necessary. |
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You cannot be a successful self-advocate
if you insist on hiding your disability at all costs. If you need
to use your accommodations to do your best in your classes, you have
to discuss your needs with your professors. You may also find it helpful
to be able to casually explain to your friends. (Then they will understand
why you are not taking your test with the rest of the class if you
take it in CASE.) You will find that your fellow college students
will not "judge" you in a negative way (as you might have
experienced when you were younger). |
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| Step 4: |
Know yourself. Consider how to
compensate for any tendencies you have that might interfere with being
an effective self-advocate (e.g., very shy, impulsive). |
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Are you too shy to clearly describe
your needs? Do you get angry and aggressive when embarrassed or frustrated?
Are you impulsive and tend to say things you later regret? Practice
with a friend or family member until you are comfortable describing
your needs in a way that will be clear but non-threatening
to your professors. |
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| Step 5: |
Know what you need and be prepared
(ahead of time) to explain it (not demand it) clearly. |
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Your professor is your partner
in the learning process but s/he doesn't know how your learning disability
affects you until you explain it to him/her. You want to work together
with each professor to figure out the best way to meet your needs
for a "level playing field." You do not want an advantage
over the other students--just an equal opportunity to learn and demonstrate
your knowledge. Speak with your professors early in the semester to
avoid unexpected difficulties. If you need help with this process
in a particular case, speak with the Horizons staff.
Click
here for a list of tips to make that meeting with your professor
easier! |
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