EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SELF-ADVOCACY: FOSTERING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR YOUNG ADOLESCENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE SUPPORT NEEDS

Yeunjoo Lee, Danyel Diane Dahlen, Sarana Eyire Roberts

Abstract


This study investigated the effects of a teacher-led six-week intervention designed to improve the self-advocacy skills of students with mild to moderate support needs. The intervention was delivered through multiple methods, including role modeling, explicit instruction, sentence scripts, and class discussion. Pre-intervention data showed that participants had a limited understanding of their IEPs, infrequent communication with teachers, and minimal engagement in requesting accommodations. After the implementation of the intervention, significant improvements were observed, with 90% of participants requesting accommodations and communicating regularly with teachers. Additionally, there was an increase in student behaviors in setting academic goals and reflecting on their self-advocacy behaviors. The participants also improved their academic performance in general education classrooms following the intervention. These findings underscore the potential of self-advocacy intervention to empower young adolescents to engage more effectively with their educational plans and achieve positive academic outcomes in the future. Recommendations for future research are provided.

 

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Keywords


self-advocacy, young adolescents, mild to moderate support needs, accommodations, communication

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v11i2.5883

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