Self-Advocacy For Higher Education Book

Self-Advocacy for Higher Education: A Step-by-Step Guide to Preparing to Request Accommodations in College is designed to help students with learning disabilities prepare to self-disclose in college and obtain the accommodations they need. 

Did you know that when in college, only 1 out of 20 students will ask for the accommodations they need? That’s 5%.

There are many barriers students with learning disabilities face when going to college. Most important are those self-imposed barriers, including how students perceive themselves and their disability, fear of being treated or thought of differently by faculty, and the stigma associated with disability.

Even if they decide to seek accommodations, students are faced with not knowing who to ask, and more importantly, not knowing how to effectively explain their disability, what they need, and why they need it.

They are not comfortable with their disability and have trouble communicating about it.

The solution: Self-Advocacy for Higher Education: A Step-by-Step Guide to Preparing to Request Accommodations in College. It provides a simple, practical, step-by-step method to help students become more self-aware and communicate effectively about their disability.

Who can use this?

This guide is ideal for parents, students, and educators. The step-by-step process will easily help students develop the self-awareness and knowledge needed to navigate the college accommodation process.

Parents can use this guide to help themselves and their student prepare for college as they transition to new roles and responsibilities.

Special educators and schools can use the book to assist in transition planning and supplement and enhance high school exit IEP meetings, Change of Placement notices, and Summary of Performance.

College teaching programs can use the book as a unique text for their special education classes.

Benefits now and for a lifetime.

Those who have a good understanding of their disability and are comfortable discussing it openly are more likely to get the accommodations they need, utilize what works for them, and ask for help when they need it. The bottom line is that self-advocacy works.

According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, self-advocacy and self-determination are essential factors for student success. Other studies show that students who self-advocate ask for what they need and have higher GPAs.

That’s important, no matter what major you choose. Self-advocacy is linked to staying in school, performing better academically, and obtaining a degree.

What others say about the book!

“I used your information for my son starting college classes as a [ snip] high school junior. [Snip] I didn’t know how to navigate requesting resources at the community college level. Your Kindle download on collecting data, helping my son understand it and presenting it to the college was fabulous. He immediately and with no additional questions asked, qualified for accommodations. Thank you.“ JMR

A Handy Guide: “As a person who works at a university program for students with intellectual disabilities and as an adjunct prof in the special education dept, I found this book is very useful and user-friendly. Jordan gives practical information to help support those who may be intimidated by the system.” J.A.Sears, PhD

A great Resource: “This book is a really effective resource for parents, students, and anyone who is working closely with a pending college student with disabilities. It contains a lot of valuable knowledge around disability laws, as well as what documents students/parents should be gathering before starting college (to begin the process for accommodations). Overall I will absolutely use this book in my therapy practice as a way to help clients advocate for themselves when moving on to higher education.” K.D.

Workbook

Self-Advocacy in Higher Ed: A Step-by-Step Workbook

Self-Advocacy in Higher Ed: A Step-by-Step Workbook was designed to help students with learning disabilities prepare to self-disclose in college and obtain the accommodations they need.

Ideal for use by parents, students, and educators. The workbook’s step-by-step process will help students develop the self-awareness and knowledge needed to navigate the accommodation process easily.

This workbook can be used as a stand-alone resource. However, for the best results, use this workbook in conjunction with the book and our web-based programs.

Note that as a stand-alone resource, more work may be necessary to obtain the information needed to proceed.

For the best results, students should work collaboratively with a parent, a trusted teacher, or special education teacher to complete this workbook. The collaborative effort will help lay the groundwork for working collaboratively with disability staff in college.

With repeated practice answering the workbook questions, at the end of the process, students will be knowledgeable, self-aware, and prepared to self-advocate for the accommodations they need.

Please note that this is a downloadable PDF that can be printed at home or school. Nothing will be physically mailed to you.

The workbook comes with a single-use license. For school-wide licenses, please contact [email protected].

Soft Skills Planner

Are you a parent of a high school or college student with learning disabilities, ADHD, or mental health issues? Do you want to provide your child with the tools they need to succeed academically and beyond? Look no further than our Soft Skills Planner.

Developing soft skills is crucial for academic success and overall well-being. With our planner, you and your student can evaluate, plan, and develop critical soft skills that will boost their confidence and ability to succeed.

Please note that this is a downloadable PDF that can be printed at home or school. Nothing will be physically mailed to you.

The workbook comes with a single-use license. For school-wide licenses, please contact [email protected].