An Educational Journey from Self Discovery to AdvocacyA Handbook for StudentsDeveloped by Debora M. Presbie, MAFor the Connecticut State Department of EducationJune 2003Funding provided by:U.S. Department of EducationOffice of Special Education ProgramsCFDA # 84.326XAcknowledgementsSpecial Thanks to the Members of the Self-Advocacy Subcommittee of the Connecticut Transition Task Force who provided guidance and editorial assistance in the development of this guide:Dana Bonadies - Bristol Public SchoolsJohanna DeZurik Torrington High SchoolHeather Harrison University of Connecticut Center for ExcellenceLiz Kay Windsor Lock High SchoolRose McGurkin-Fuhr Simsbury High SchoolDiana Pacetta Ullmann Department of CorrectionsDiane Peskurich Windsor High SchoolJoe Prignano Manchester High SchoolKaren Stigliano Special Education Resource CenterCarol Stocks Prandy South Windsor High SchoolIris Thompson Yale Center for Children with Special Health Care NeedsAnd, to Karen Halliday, Consultant, Rehabilitation/Transition Services, Connecticut State Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education and Pupil Services, for her ongoing commitment and passion for improving the lives of students with disabilities.IntroductionSelf-Advocacy means speaking up for yourself. It requires knowledge of your personal strengths and needs and rights as a citizen, and involves acting in an assertive manner to make your needs known to others.Transition planning involves thinking about your goals after high school and developing a long-range plan to get there. This includes having a high school experience that focuses on developing the skills you will need to achieve your life goals. It also involves helping you identify and link with any post-school adult service programs or supports you may need.This handbook was created for high school students with disabilities as an instructional tool for the development of self-advocacy skills and transition planning.It is divided into 5 sections:Section 1.Disability AwarenessSection 2.Learning to AdvocateSection 3.Career Planning and Community ConnectionsSection 4.Participating in PPT MeetingsSection 5.ResourcesThe activities within each section are arranged sequentially, and are designed to build upon one another. Each year you will have the opportunity to select and participate in a variety of activities that involve gathering information about your community (including other people, programs, jobs, laws, and transition options.) You will also have the opportunity to select and participate in activities that will help you learn more about yourself (your likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses.) You will then be able to use this information to make decisions, set personal goals, develop transition plans, and begin advocating for yourself.Many of the activities in this guide require use of the Internet to obtain information. Information is Power. Developing skills in “surfing the web” will allow you to access the information you need to be a powerful advocate throughout your adult life.The activities labeled Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 can correspond with grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 if you are following a sequential high school curriculum. Grade levels are only provided as a guide and may need to be adapted to meet individual student needs. For example, although some students will be ready to take a formal learning style inventory in grade 9, few students should finish grade 10 without having a thorough understanding of their learning style. As you participate in the process of self-exploration and advocacy, it is important to remember that everyone is unique, and will progress through various activities at different rates.A Personal Development Journal is an integral part of your educational journey from self-discovery to advocacy. This “journal” can be a spiral notebook, clothbound book, or binder with loose-leaf paper. It should be durable and large enough to accommodate all the information that you will gain about your community, yourself and your life options during the year. Each journal entry must begin with the date of the entry. You are encouraged to personalize your journal entries with drawings, doodles, photographs, words, poetry, magazine clippings or other things that describe how you are thinking and feeling at the moment. Although you may be graded or given class credit for completing the journal, it is still YOUR journal, and should be a reflection of YOU.You will create a new journal for each year, grade 9-12, but you must keep the old ones. An important outcome of your educational journey from self-awareness to advocacy involves being able to look back to where you started, and see how far youve come.Have a great journey!v Table of ContentsPageSection 1:Disability Awareness8Activity Time11 Level 1