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.
","abstract_html":"<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>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Cano-Smith, Jennifer"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ph.D.","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Gloria Miller, Ph.D.","Cynthia Hazel","Nicholas Cutforth","Roger E. Salters"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2009,"date_issued":"2009-03-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2009-03-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:02:19Z","subjects":["Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)","Learning disabilities","Self-advocacy","Education","Higher Education"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
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"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Self-Advocacy Experiences of College Students with Learning Disabilities and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Gloria Miller, Ph.D.","Cynthia Hazel","Nicholas Cutforth","Roger E. Salters"],"dc:creator":["Cano-Smith, Jennifer"],"dc:date.available":["2001-01-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["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.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/110"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"],"dc:subject":["Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)","Learning disabilities","Self-advocacy","Education","Higher Education"],"dc:title":["Self-Advocacy Experiences of College Students with Learning Disabilities and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph.D."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:02:19Z"}