How schools can support their students

Research shows that adolescents in general will rather fit in than stand out from the crowd. This means students may not ask for help, even when they need it. This is critically important for students with a disability.

Students who have a disability usually already stand out because of their disability, and therefore may try even harder to cover up difficulties to fit in.

Research shows that many students with a disability will ‘struggle in silence’ rather than request help in front of their peers. Self-advocacy is incredibly important for these students. Schools should create a culture that empowers students to become self-advocates.

This website includes information and research articles on how schools can support the development of self-advocacy skills in students.