Inclusion in an Interdisciplinary Leadership Training Program: Perspectives From Self-Advocates.
Warm peer and teacher support is as vital as any accommodation for self-advocates to thrive in professional training.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Christensen et al. (2024) asked self-advocates how it felt to join a LEND leadership course.
They ran open interviews so trainees could speak in their own words.
The goal was to learn what helped or hurt their full take-part.
What they found
Trainees said the course was worth it and they felt true membership.
Key win: warm back-up from teachers and peer partners, not just ramps or extra time.
When people checked in and cheered, the advocates stayed and led.
How this fits with other research
Kremkow et al. (2022) heard the same from family mentors in the same LEND class.
Both papers echo one theme: real welcome beats paperwork.
Lunsky et al. (2024) stretch the idea further—medical students also grew after learning from IDD patient-educators on-line.
Together the trio shows: put people with disabilities up front as teachers, then give steady human support, and every learner gains.
Why it matters
You run staff training or parent classes. Book the self-advocate speaker, then pair them with a friendly ally. Build in quick check-ins, shared lunch, and public praise. These low-cost moves turn a token slot into shared power—and your trainees will remember the lesson.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
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Join Free →Schedule a five-minute mid-session check-in with your self-advocate presenter; ask what they need and praise their input in front of the class.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) programs are interdisciplinary, graduate-level training programs that seek to promote improved outcomes for individuals with disabilities and their families. Many of these programs include individuals with disabilities as members of the self-advocacy discipline. In this study, 10 self-advocate trainees were interviewed to provide insight into the value of including self-advocates in training and the kinds of accommodations and supports that facilitated their success and inclusion. Interviewees endorsed the importance of including self-advocates in LEND programs. Although several accommodations were discussed as helpful, interpersonal supports from faculty and peers were equally important in ensuring their success and inclusion in LEND. The findings from this study provide support for the expansion of self-advocacy as a formal discipline in LEND programs.
Intellectual and developmental disabilities, 2024 · doi:10.1352/1934-9556-62.2.87