Helping Teenagers with Disabilities to Self-Advocate

Build self-advocacy, confidence, and independence in students with disabilities for lasting academic and life success.

This workshop focuses on building the critical skill of self-advocacy for teenagers with disabilities, a skill not typically acquired naturally from their peers. Participants will learn the specific skills that enable students to understand their strengths, needs, and disabilities while setting realistic goals for themselves. The session emphasizes the connection between self-advocacy and positive outcomes such as increased self-esteem, resilience, and school success. Through interactive strategies, educators gain practical tools to support students in becoming more confident and independent in both academic and life settings.

‍

Core Needs Addressed

  • Students with disabilities often lack opportunities to learn self-advocacy skills.

  • Misconception that these skills will be learned incidentally from peers.

  • Low self-esteem and limited confidence stemming from challenges in school and social settings.

  • Inconsistent educator strategies to help students recognize their strengths, understand their needs, and set personal goals.

Key Learnings

  1. Understanding and Teaching Self-Advocacy Skills
    Educators will learn how to explicitly teach students to identify their strengths and needs and to effectively communicate them.

  2. Building Confidence and Self-Esteem
    Participants will explore strategies that link self-advocacy to improved confidence, resilience, and long-term student success.

  3. Goal-Setting and Disability Awareness
    Teachers will support students in understanding their disabilities and in developing realistic, individualized goals that promote independence.

Schedule a Call

Learn more about this workshop.

School

District

College
University

Other

Please provide the institiue name

Thank you for submitting the contact request. We will get back to you shortly.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Related Content

Fostering Connection and Communication Discussion Questions

Positive Role Model Discussion Questions

Conflict Resolution Lesson Plan

Helping Teenagers with Disabilities to Self-Advocate

Build self-advocacy, confidence, and independence in students with disabilities for lasting academic and life success.

Led by our team of Instructional Strategists

Learning Path

Last Updated

Apr 15, 2026 2:48 PM

Talk with an expert

Want a thought partner to help you design solutions that fit your school?

Thank you for submitting the contact request. We will get back to you shortly.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Designed for School Leaders asking...

How can we intentionally build self-advocacy skills in students with disabilities to improve academic performance and postsecondary readiness?

What instructional and support practices will increase students’ confidence, independence, and ability to articulate their strengths and needs?

How do we create schoolwide systems that embed self-advocacy development into transition planning and daily instruction to strengthen long-term success outcomes?

This workshop helped me better understand the challenges families face and gave me practical strategies to strengthen communication and engagement. I now feel more confident in building supportive partnerships with families to improve student success.

Jen Soloman

School Name

Delivering Powerful Learning Experiences

As a result of this work

As a result of this work, educators will strengthen their ability to support students with disabilities in developing self-advocacy skills, ensuring increased confidence, independence, and academic success. Teachers will leave with practical strategies, goal-setting tools, and instructional approaches that help students understand their strengths and needs while building resilience and self-esteem for success in school and beyond.

Workshop Description

This workshop focuses on building the critical skill of self-advocacy for teenagers with disabilities, a skill not typically acquired naturally from their peers. Participants will learn the specific skills that enable students to understand their strengths, needs, and disabilities while setting realistic goals for themselves. The session emphasizes the connection between self-advocacy and positive outcomes such as increased self-esteem, resilience, and school success. Through interactive strategies, educators gain practical tools to support students in becoming more confident and independent in both academic and life settings.

‍

Expand To See More

Designed for Today's Schools

Customized
Expert-led
In-person, virtual, or asynchronous
Standards Aligned
Research-Based
Nationwide

Educators will confidently

Educators will confidently implement strategies that build students’ self-advocacy skills, enabling learners to understand their strengths and needs, set goals, and navigate academic and personal challenges with greater independence. This work supports district priorities by strengthening inclusive practices, promoting equitable access to learning, and empowering students with the confidence and skills needed for long-term success.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes your workshops different from traditional professional development or other providers?

Our approach goes beyond one-size-fits-all professional development. We hold ourselves to rigorous standards of quality and delivery in every client interaction, ensuring that each experience is meaningful, relevant, and impactful. We don’t just deliver workshops—we build long-term partnerships with schools and districts, working alongside educators to improve instructional practices and student outcomes over time.

We actively listen to educators’ unique contexts and experiences, using that insight to collaboratively design tailored solutions rather than pre-packaged sessions. Our team asks thoughtful questions, challenges assumptions, and continuously learns so we can help redefine what’s possible in teaching and learning.

Above all, we communicate authentically, foster positive and productive relationships, and bring a deep passion and commitment to education. The result is professional learning that feels purposeful, personalized, and truly transformative.

Who are your workshops designed for?

Our workshops are designed for educators and school leaders, including teachers, instructional coaches, school administrators, and district teams. Each session is tailored to the specific audience to ensure content is relevant, practical, and immediately applicable.

What does a typical workshop look like?

Our workshops are interactive, engaging, and grounded in real classroom practice. Each experience is intentionally designed using the principles of andragogy, sound instructional design, and the core constructs of effective professional development to ensure relevance, coherence, and impact. Participants engage in discussion, reflection, planning, and application activities — not just passive listening. Educators leave with concrete strategies and next steps they can implement right away.

How long are your workshops?

We offer flexible formats, including half-day, full-day, and multi-session series. We can also design ongoing professional learning experiences to support sustained implementation over time.

What delivery methods are available for your workshops?

We offer flexible delivery options to meet the needs of schools and districts, including in-person sessions, live virtual workshops, and asynchronous learning through our applied learning platform. Regardless of format, all experiences are designed to be interactive, engaging, and collaborative, with structures that promote meaningful participation and application of learning.

What kind of follow-up support is available?

We believe professional learning is most effective when it’s sustained. In addition to workshops, we offer instructional coaching, implementation planning, and follow-up sessions to help teams translate learning into practice and drive meaningful results.

Who facilitates the workshops?

Inspired Instruction’s workshops are facilitated by a nationwide team of expert Instructional Strategists.  Our facilitators bring diverse experience as classroom educators, instructional coaches, principals, directors, and superintendents, spanning all content areas. We thoughtfully match your specific needs with a facilitator whose expertise aligns to ensure the learning experience is relevant, practical, and impactful for your staff.

How much does it cost to bring a workshop to my school or district?

We offer a range of pricing options designed to meet the needs of different schools and districts. Our Client Directors work closely with you to understand your goals, scope, and budget, and will partner with you to design a high-quality professional learning experience that fits within your financial framework.

Need a thought partner?

Work With Our Solution Team of Experienced Educators

Our team works alongside school and district leaders to tackle challenges and stay aligned to your goals.

Talk With An Expert
User 1
Team 2
Team 3
Michele Regan