Self-advocacy is a student's ability to stand up for what they need; access advocacy is asking for the tools that give full access to information, such as interpreters, captions, or visuals. Use this checklist to reflect on how intentionally your program teaches and practices these skills. It looks at whether self-advocacy is built into the curriculum, whether students learn early to notice when access is missing and how to ask for it, whether students help set their own goals, and whether they practice these skills with different people and in different settings over time. Use it to name strengths and decide where to build students' independence next.
Because of your selected audience type, you may also enjoy the following related resources.
Career readiness for deaf and hard of hearing students, with practical strategies, teaching approaches, and family tips to help students move from classroom to workforce.
A walkthrough checklist administrators use during classroom visits to see whether students are learning and practicing self-advocacy and how to ask for the access they need.
Support students in becoming independent decision-makers using tools like the Self-Determined Learning Model and the ASL-translated Self-Determination Inventory.