Self-advocacy: The Power to Get What You Need

Self-advocacy is defined as, "a set of skills that enables people with disabilities to effectively communicate their needs to others and get those needs met." This can range from telling others what you like, to sharing with your boss the work accommodations you need to do your job successfully.

Self-Advocacy for Young Children

Do I really need to think about teaching self-advocacy skills to a preschooler? Yes! Actually, if you are teaching communication skills or choice making you are already teaching self-advocacy! All children need an effective way to make their needs known. For non-verbal or minimally verbal children with autism this is even more essential. Without another way to communicate, young children with autism will often use challenging behavior as a way to communicate their needs and wants. While most children with autism will develop speech, approximately 30% will not. Even for children who will eventually speak, providing an augmentative visual communication system (pictures, symbols, sign language, etc.) is a good idea. Using a visual communication system can help all children remain calm and positive as they walk through each day. Having an appropriate way to ask for what you need and reject what you don't like is the first step towards self-advocacy!

Self-Advocacy in Elementary School

Elementary school students with ASD can work on self-advocacy skills in a variety of areas. When trying to determine which skills to address for a particular student, look toward their same age peers. How do typical elementary school students demonstrate self-advocacy? Elementary school students learn appropriate ways to get adult/authority attention, like raising their hand or calling a teacher's name. They learn when and who to ask for help, to tell someone if they are sick, to demonstrate knowledge by giving a correct answer in class, and to appropriately share opinions with friends. Students with ASD should address these same skills in the way that is most appropriate for them. For example, after students can use a word, sign, or picture to request "help" we can teach them to give more specific information about the kind of help they need, such as "I don't understand" or "Open this, please." Giving more specific requests to others is an important step toward self-advocacy.

Self-Advocacy in Middle School

Middle school can be a tough time for students with ASD, however, supporting a students' self-advocacy can help with some of the challenges a student faces. By middle school, many students with ASD can attend at least part of their own IEP meeting. This allows the student to feel more included in the special education process, and helps them understand their accommodations and educational goals. Providing input to the decision-making process for their educational plan encourages a student to "buy-in" to addressing their goals and using their accommodations. Middle school students with ASD should also be supported to participate in the development of their BIP if they have one. At a minimum they could choose the reinforcement to be used and help identify replacement behaviors. Another important part of self-advocacy is understanding one's disability. Middle school students are generally ready to participate in discussions about their disability with trusted adults. There are also several good books available on this topic written by young adults with ASD.

Self-Advocacy in High School and Beyond

As students with ASD advance through high school they should address the following areas of self-advocacy: 

• Understanding their disability and the accommodations and supports they need to be successful
• Self-disclosure (when and how to tell others about their disability)
• Choosing vocational exploration activities based on special interests
• Using the phone independently (if appropriate)
• Using e-mail and internet to gather information
• Making their own medical and other appointments
• Choosing classes
• Making their own goals
• Leading their own IEP meetings (as much as possible)

During the transition to adulthood, students should be supported to take the lead as much as possible in making life decisions while receiving gradually decreasing support over time.