dvocacy is an inherent component of every special educator's job. Good advocates instill confidence in their students and communicate to others that these kids can do just anything, as long as they're given the opportunity. Teach your students to be self-advocates as you help yourself become a better advocate for them. When I was in high school, a great resource teacher got a peer tutoring program started and then helped the kids form a club. (Guess who was a peer tutor? Me!) Some of the things we did were incredible: our club recieved 1st place for the best homecoming float 3 years in a row, we sponsored a teacher appreciation luncheon, participated in Spring Fling to raise money, did community service projects, etc....

How do you gear up for advocacy? Directly teach your students the skills they need to be independent: self help skills, social skills, etc. Role play situations so students are ready for them. Give them many opportunities to successfully act on their own behalf. Set up 100% guaranteed situations until kids are comfortable then gradually fade your support. Get them included with their typical peers. Teach others that these kids will be successful when given support and opportunity. Let general educators and others have successful situations just like you would with your students. Use these links to help you provide more opportunities:

Through the Looking Glass is proud to announce its new National Center for Parents with Disabilities and their Families. The Center targets three national populations: (1) parents with diverse disabilities; (2) family members; and, (3) service providers and trainees who have a particularly critical impact on parents. The Center's activities focus on priority issues facing parents with disabilities and their families: custody and parental evaluations; family roles and personal assistance; paratransit; and, intervention with parents with cognitive and intellectual disabilities and their children.

Disability Etiquette Handbook from the San Antonio Disability Access Office provides an extensive list of do's and don'ts.

Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt. This is the Special Olympics Oath.

Very Special Arts is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the creative power in people with disabilities.

Tell Us Your Story, facilitated by Jim Hasse, consists of personal-experience stories about disability awareness, rights, and inspiration for individuals with disabilities. Currently, there are almost 200 stories from visitors and 25 ongoing discussions. A weekly digest helps community members keep up with the forum's new topics and stories.

Kid's Peace is an organization dedicated to keeping kids from domestic violence and other types of abuse.

Girlshealth.gov is a Web site of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. It was created to help girls ages 10-16 learn about health, growing up, and issues they may face. This page provides definitions of “illness” and “disability,” and links to more information about each. It has a special section on becoming independent.

US Government TTY/TDD Directory lists government access numbers.

The University of Maryland College Park Scholars, where the Advocates for Children study the social, educational, legal, technological, and political forces that affect the lives of children, with the underlying assumption that all of us, regardless of occupation or status have the potential for improving the lives of children in many different settings.

Disability Services Providers Alliance (DSPA) is a cooperative postsecondary effort for students with disabilities in southern Maine's colleges and universities.

ABLE is Brown University's disability advocacy and awareness group, founded by Lee Busabos '93, seeking general, consistent policies towards students with disabilities. The group also works with individual students and administrators to provide accomodations for specific needs.

Disable Hotline features pages on wheelchair preventative maintenance, getting Uncle Sam to enforce civil rights, famous people with disabilities, understanding Medicare, disability benefits, enactment and voluntary enforcement of the ADA, and employment and housing for the disabled.

ReadPlease is a fabulous text reader for your students. It will read scanned, typed or copied text. It translates into four languages. It's FREE!

National Database of Assistive Technology Information lets you explore the world of assistive technology

The Assistive Technology Training Online Project provides information on AT applications that help students with disabilities learn in elementary classrooms.

The Family Guide to Assistive Technology is intended to help parents learn more about assistive technology and how it can help their children. The Guide includes tips for getting started, ideas about where to look for money, and suggestions for what to do when applying for funding.

WebABLE! is the authoritative Web site for disability-related internet resources. WebABLE!'s accessibility database lists hundreds of internet based resources on accessibility.

The National Center to Improve Practice in Special Education (NCIP) has a lot of information on assistive technology.

In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Inaccessible technology interferes with an individual's ability to obtain and use information quickly and easily. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals.