Communication Center Journal - Vol. 7, No. 1 - Self-Advocacy in Communication Centers

Oct 15, 2026

Self-advocacy in communication centers is examined as a practical response to the shift in legal protections from IDEA (parent/guardian advocacy) to ADA (student self-advocacy) for K-12 to college transitions. The article outlines three inclusion approaches—physical integration, functional inclusion, and social inclusion—to create welcoming environments. It also recommends training consultants with scripts and partnering with disability services for workshops, enabling students with disabilities to request accommodations confidently and effectively.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Self-Advocacy in Communication Centers

How Can Communication Centers Help Students?

Three Types of Inclusion

Recommendations

References

Communication Center Journal 130 Vol. 7, No. 1, 2021 Self-Advocacy in Communication Centers Steven Garfunkel University of North Carolina-Greensboro In grades K-12, students with disabilities are protected under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) . Upon entering college, these same students are now protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) . Under IDEA, parents or guardians advocate for students, under ADA, students must advocate for themselves. Because selfadvocacy is not common before college, many new college students do not have this skill and struggle to get the accommodations they need on their own. However, self-advocacy is much easier said than done, and students with disabilities deserve to have aresource that will help them overcome fears they may have when advocating for themselves. How Can Communication Centers Help Students? Students with disabilities often worry about being labeled by their peers. This apprehension can cause students to be afraid to speak about their disabilities, even to professionals who work in a disability services office, and this can adversely affect their selfadvocacy skills (OSWEGO, 2020) . Communication centers can utilize three types of inclusion to provide a welcoming and understanding environment where students can express themselves. Three Types of Inclusion The three types of inclusion consultants can learn to exercise are physical integration, functional inclusion, and social inclusion. Physical integration is when “An individual has the right to access buildings and attend recreation programs…[through] architecturally accessible” buildings (Discover Leisure Education, 2013) . An example of physical integration in communication centers is ensuring that the center’saisles and doorways are wide and clear enough to accommodate wheelchairs or other mobility aids. Functional inclusion practices assert,“An individual should have the opportunity to be successful within a given environment…[as well as have] the same enjoyment and success as those without disabilities” (Discover Leisure Education, 2013) . For example, ensuring an American Sign Language interpreter attends consultations that include a Deaf student. Social inclusion is “One’s ability to participate in positive interactions with peers through making friendships,” (Discover Leisure Education, 2013) . Consultants can facilitate social inclusion by educating themselves on microaggressions or ableist practices that could crop up in a session (as well as how to mitigate them), and actively creating an environment that is welcoming and inclusive, and in which students with disabilities feel comfortable. Through these practices, communication consultants can empower students to self-advocate. Once a communication center has established a welcoming environment, consultants need to be trained to prepare students with disabilities for speaking about their Communication Center Journal 131 Vol. 7, No. 1, 2021 needs in other environments, such asthe Disability Services Office. An easy way to begin is to teach consultants a few specific circumstances and provide them with scripts that they will then share with their speakers according to their needs. For example, if a student needs extended time on an exam due to having a diagnosed anxiety disorder, a communication center consultant would provide a customizable script that explains this need first in the disability services office and then to the student’s professors. The consultant and speaker would then practice the script until the speaker feels comfortable. Afterward, the consultant would provide feedback on what the student did well and any areas for improvement. Recommendations So, how can communication centers begin to help students with disabilities self-advocate? First, it should be clear to all communication consultants that the center is an inclusive space for all students. For instance, it should be standard

FAQs

Why do communication centers need to support self-advocacy for students with disabilities after college entry?

After entering college, students are protected under the ADA and are expected to advocate for themselves. Because self-advocacy skills are less common before college, many students struggle to obtain needed accommodations on their own.

What are the three types of inclusion described as ways communication centers can help?

The article describes physical integration, functional inclusion, and social inclusion. Each supports a different aspect of access, success, and peer interaction for students with disabilities.

How can consultants be trained to help students self-advocate in other environments like disability services?

Provide consultants with specific circumstances and scripts tailored to common accommodations. Consultants can practice the scripts with students and then give feedback before the student communicates needs to professors and disability services staff.

Oct 15, 2026

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