Teaching self-advocating strategies through drama

High school students with learning disabilities must develop the necessary oral language skills to be able to articulate their needs to others if they are to transition successfully to the post-secondary level. Since its inception in 1996, Project Access, a transition program at Howard Community College in Columbia, Maryland, has taught skills using a variety of exercises and performance activities. These are divided into the following categories: Introductory Exercises, Nonverbal Exercises, Verbal Exercises and Scenes, and other Performance Activities. As a result of participating in these exercises, students have grown in self-esteem and in ability to self-advocate.