The authors interviewed 25 lesbians with physical disabilities about their counseling experiences. Using a phenomenological qualitative approach, the authors identified 9 themes. Five themes addressed participants' perceptions of their counselors: general satisfaction or dissatisfaction, counselors' general effectiveness, counselors' awareness and…

This commentary on the Council for Exceptional Children-Council on Education of the Deaf's (CEC-CED's) Joint Knowledge and Skills Statement, which sets forth qualifications needed by those who teach deaf and hard of hearing students, discusses key issues impacting the education of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing: cultural flexibility,…

This guide is part of a package developed for people with disabilities and professionals wishing to conduct advocacy courses by Skills for People, a British advocacy group. The guide contains 13 sections: (1) why this guide was written; (2) how to use this guide; (3) how to have good meetings; (4) checklist for genuine involvement; (5) checklist…

This issue presents nine articles which address identifying, pursuing, and obtaining postsecondary training and employment by youth with disabilities. It discusses how families and professionals can help young people develop important self-determination and self-advocacy skills. It also introduces adult service systems to aid in obtaining…

This monograph presents the philosophy of the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Supported Employment (Virginia) concerning consumer advocacy and supported employment for persons with disabilities. An introductory chapter looks at origins of supported employment, its relationship to consumer advocacy, and challenges facing these…

This report is based upon a review of current Idaho policies, laws, regulations, and practices that have affected the lives of people with developmental disabilities, interviews with a sample of administrators and staff members representing government, voluntary agencies, self-advocacy groups, and provider agencies, and insights gained from…

This booklet for Minnesota young people with disabilities and their families is intended to explain vocational rehabilitation services required under the Rehabilitation Act as amended in 1992 and transition services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The first section discusses vocational rehabilitation, transition services for…

This article discusses the importance of early intervention advocacy and provides vignettes that illustrate sample early intervention advocacy issues from the perspectives of parents, teachers, and program administrators. Quick tips are provided for professionals as self-advocates and for family advocacy, along with legislative Web site resources.…

The Steps to Self-Determination curriculum model focuses on knowing oneself, valuing oneself, planning, acting, experiencing outcomes, and learning. It has been tested with 77 high school students having a variety of disabilities. Two related scales have also been developed: the Self-Determination Observation Checklist and the Self-Determination…

Six necessary program components to prepare gifted students with disabilities for productive adult lives are identified: provide challenging educational experiences along with supports, facilitate passion learning through enrichment activities, empower students through student-centered planning, develop self-advocacy, enhance positive social…

Describes the GOLD program, a successful model for teaching gifted adolescents with learning disabilities which includes both resource-room support and enrichment. The curriculum includes teaching about learning disabilities, self-advocacy, critical thinking, word processing, communication skills, and ethics. Time is provided for remedial and…

This article presents an interview with Ross Todd, director of research at Rutgers University's Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries. Todd talks about the impact of the Ohio study, based on student's evaluation of their media centers, and his quest to renew school libraries. He stresses that part of the renewal and continuous…

This directory contains approximately 90 listings of print and media resources about self-advocacy and materials written by self-advocates. Listings are divided into the following 19 sections: advisor training; Americans with Disabilities Act; board training; building self-advocacy groups; choice making; employment; evaluation of services;…

This booklet for Minnesota young people with disabilities and their families is intended to explain vocational rehabilitation services required under the Rehabilitation Act as amended in 1992. The first section considers eligibility for vocational rehabilitation, the role of state agencies, the application process, and assessment. The next section…

This monograph presents 15 position statements of The Arc, a national organization for persons with mental retardation. A preamble presents the organization's Mission Statement. Principles and assumptions stressing the uniqueness of all people and the importance of a sense of control over one's destiny are listed. The position statements are then…