Self-advocacy is the process of learning how to communicate one’s needs effectively and

acquiring help in achieving learning goals. Here, individuals with special needs understand their

strengths and weaknesses, learn how to obtain information on topics of interest, and find support

in achieving goals and solving problems. Moreover, counselors work to increase people’s self-

confidence by engaging them in making decisions affecting their lives. The skills acquired in self-

advocacy help persons with learning disabilities to integrate more smoothly with society by

fostering their independence and confidence.

Since developmental problems manifest at an early age, it is also important to begin teaching self-

advocacy skills during childhood. In addition to becoming independent as they build self-

confidence in their ability to learn, individuals can explore novel solutions to challenges.

Addressing these issues early helps in improving their lives socially and academically. For example,

in a school setting, students with self-advocacy skills would understand their learning issues and

ask for the help necessary in overcoming them. However, self-advocacy still presents challenges

as it requires a lot of patience and understanding. For example, individuals with special needs must

identify their specific challenges whether it is learning, reading, processing, writing disabilities, or

ADHD, which requires a lot of guidance and interaction with counselors. Additionally, there are

questions on how effective self-advocacy is in addressing developmental challenges from the

perspective of the affected individuals as it is outward facing and focuses on improving the social

perceptions of the individual.