What communication scripts might you use to support practice of this skill? Are these complete scripts or just key words to support initiation?
Scripts can be used to support the student at several key points in the self-advocacy process: To support the student in initiating a request for help (step 2) and to support the student in communicating needs, strengths, choices, and issues to any other stakeholders (instructors, employers, etc.) when this communication is a part of the solution (step 4). As shown in the examples below, self-advocacy comes in many forms and at different levels of complexity. Some examples of the scripts below are very basic, and would support the student in simply initiating some form of communication to express a need. Other scripts may be more complex in both format and in the concepts targeted. Consider if you need to add additional icons or visual clarity cues to any script to promote the student’s attention to key verbal or non-verbal elements:
It is important to note that scripts might also be used to support an individual in disclosing their disability during the hiring process or once hired in order to obtain needed accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The decision to disclose is not one that an educator or job coach can make for the individual. The individual himself (and potentially a legal guardian) would be the one making this determination. In some cases where the presence of a disability might not be immediately apparent to the employer or post-secondary institution, the individual will have to carefully weigh the pros and cons of disclosure. If the individual does plan to disclose in order to seek accommodations, it is likely that he will need to practice what to say, how to say it, and when. In some cases, the individual might provide a written description of his strengths and needs (those that can be reasonably accommodated) that characterize his disability, instead of verbalizing those.
If his decision is to disclose, carefully consider what scripts you might develop to support the student in describing his differences in such a way that highlights his strengths, while identifying issues that require accommodation.
What scenarios might you present (using scenario Act it Out cards) to help students produce their own dialogue and interactions to practice or role-play in a scene?
Below is a wide variety of scenario cards designed to support the student in acting out/describing the process he would go through to advocate for his needs. In some cases, you might guide the student in writing down what he would do to help him progress through each step in the self-advocacy process more thoroughly and concretely. Otherwise, he might be inclined to skip steps that are actually crucial to the process and sometimes difficult for the student to initiate in real life.
Construct scenarios that are most applicable to the student, and be sure that they are presented at a level that is not too complex for the student. Many scenarios demand problem-solving skills that might be beyond the capacity of the individual. In some cases, the student might need to use a script as he acts out what to say and do in the scenario:
Are you arranging frequent practice opportunities with visual scripts and scenarios to build independence and fluency through repetition?
In order to align this intervention topic area with the unique needs of the student, do you need to create scripts or scenarios in the View2do program?
