Self-Advocacy Experiences of College Students with Learning Disabilities and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

<p>Self-advocacy is identified as a factor important to the success of college students with Learning Disabilities (LD) and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, educators do not yet know enough about the experience of self-advocacy in the post-secondary learning environment to effectively guide students in the development of this complex set of skills. This study was designed to describe the experience of college students with LD and/or ADHD as they advocate for themselves in the college or university environment and to compare the students' experiences as self-advocates to what educators believe to be true about self-advocacy based on the existing literature. The study employed a series of case studies conducted with phenomenological methodology. The data revealed that students experience self-advocacy as a means of building a working relationship with faculty, a means of declaring their character, a weapon to do battle when conflicts arise, and a means to assign the LD/ADHD a role within their learning experience. Data confirmed the importance of communication, assertiveness, knowledge of LD/ADHD, academic self-concept, self-efficacy and locus of control, and problem-solving skills. The above factors were assembled into a framework describing their functioning in concert to facilitate self-advocacy. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Year dc:date.available

2009

Author dc:creator

• Cano-Smith, Jennifer

Contributors dc:contributor

• Gloria Miller, Ph.D.
• Cynthia Hazel
• Nicholas Cutforth
• Roger E. Salters

• Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Learning disabilities
• Self-advocacy
• Education
• Higher Education

Statement dc:rights

• <p>Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.</p>

Language dc:language

en

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/110

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.du.edu:etd-1109