Advocating for Student Success
A Guide for Parents and Educators
One of the best ways to advocate for people with disabilities is to understand what ableism is, and work to eliminate it.
Ableism is defined as “a set of beliefs or practices that devalue and discriminate against people with physical, intellectual, or psychiatric disabilities.”
It’s important to recognize when ableism is present and, as an advocate for people with disabilities, to work toward inclusion whenever possible.
Here are a few ways to be an advocate for a person with a disability
- See the person as separate from the disability.
- Be an active listener.
- Support their right to make their own decisions and respect their opinions.
- Work to create a home and community that is as accessible as possible.
- Support their autonomy and independence and provide assistance that enables this, such as helping with mobility challenges, job coaching, training in technology, etc.
- Advocate against discrimination and for inclusivity.
