Self-advocacy among people with disabilities in the transition from good will to civil rights: Is it sufficient?

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Charles D. Palmer,

Affiliations: Rehabilitation Counseling Program, Department of Counselor Education and Educational Psychology, Mississippi State University, Mailstop 9727, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA. Tel.: +1 601 325 7917; Fax: +1 601 325 3263; E-mail:~cpalmer@colled.msstate.edu

Abstract: The burdens associated with eliminating discrimination on the basis of disability have been bestowed upon those individuals in our society with the least experience in defending themselves from social and interpersonal bias. Offering people with disabilities training in civil rights, barrier identification, interpersonal communication, and problem solving skills to enhance and empower self-advocacy have been the primary means of government sponsored human service institutions to generate the desired social change. There is evidence that these actions are less than effective. Overt public commitment and outreach efforts are needed to effectively elicit change from those individuals who are directly responsible for discriminatory actions.

Keywords: disability, discrimination, self-advocacy, social change

Journal: Work, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 61-65, 2000