Learning From Self-Advocates: Changing Perspectives About Disability

Abstract

Many educators learn about people with disabilities without learning from them. This article describes the value of inviting people with disabilities, including individuals with extensive support needs (ESN), to share their experiences and knowledge with others. In this article, we describe how to create a Self-Advocate Guest Presenter Series to provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities to tell their stories. In addition, this article includes ideas to support educators in using what they learned from the presenters within their classrooms and advocacy.