Self-Advocacy and Empowerment of People with Disabilities 2403-OG-EN-SAaE

Topics of each class:
1/ Definitions of self-advocacy, empowerment, inclusion in the disability contexts
2/ The role of public institutions in the process of empowerment of people with disabilities
3/ The role of NGOs as a space for self-advocacy of people with disabilities
4/ Self-advocacy, empowerment, inclusion of people with disabilities in media and social campaigns
5/ New technologies, Internet in the context of inclusion and exclusion of people with disabilities
6/ How to create workshops, classes, meetings for people with disabilities regarding strengthening their empowerment and self-advocacy?
7/ Self-advocacy and empowerment – good practices (final task)

W cyklu 2026/27L:

The course will address the topics of self-advocacy and empowerment of people with disabilities from both theoretical and practical perspectives.
Contemporary social contexts of the activity of people with disabilities will be presented through the analysis of current social, technological, and cultural changes. Particular emphasis will be placed on analyzing the activities of public institutions and NGOs that strengthen the voice of people with disabilities. Innovative solutions in the field of media, technological, and internet activities (e.g., social campaigns involving people with disabilities, software, and apps) will also be presented.
Topics of each class:
1/ Definitions of self-advocacy, empowerment, inclusion in the disability contexts
2/ The role of public institutions in the process of empowerment of people with disabilities
3/ The role of NGOs as a space for self-advocacy of people with disabilities
4/ Self-advocacy, empowerment, inclusion of people with disabilities in media and social campaigns
5/ New technologies, Internet in the context of inclusion and exclusion of people with disabilities
6/ How to create workshops, classes, meetings for people with disabilities regarding strengthening their empowerment and self-advocacy?
7/ Self-advocacy and empowerment – good practices (final task)

Całkowity nakład pracy studenta

Contact hours with teacher: - participation in classes – 15 hrs - consultations - 5hrs Self-study: - preparation for classes and reading literature – 15 hrs - preparation for final task – 25 hrs Altogether: 60 hrs (2 ECTS)

Efekty uczenia się - wiedza

K1: The graduate knows the terminology used in the fields of special education and disability studies and understands its sources and applications within related scientific disciplines - K_W01 K2: The graduate has knowledge of the concept of support people with disabilities and understands the various conditions of these processes - K_W04

Efekty uczenia się - umiejętności

S1: The graduate has the ability to use basic psychological knowledge and advanced pedagogical knowledge, as well as to obtain data to analyze behaviors, processes and phenomena in the area of revalidation, education, and rehabilitation - K_U06

Efekty uczenia się - kompetencje społeczne

SC1: The graduate is aware of the need for constant self-improvement -K_K03 SC2: The graduate is eager to constantly broad his/her/their knowledge – K_K06 SC3: The graduate is open to new ways of thinking about contemporary social reality - K_K07

Koordynatorzy przedmiotu

Mateusz Smieszek

Metody dydaktyczne

Informative lecture (conventional) using presentation, problem-solving method, case studies, discussion, brainstorming

Metody dydaktyczne eksponujące

- pokaz

Metody dydaktyczne podające

- pogadanka
- wykład problemowy
- opis

Metody dydaktyczne poszukujące

- giełda pomysłów
- studium przypadku
- doświadczeń
- ćwiczeniowa
- klasyczna metoda problemowa

Wymagania wstępne

Knowledge of English at level B1/B2, without the need to know a specialized language related to disability, self-advocacy, empowerment as those definition will be presented during the course.

Kryteria oceniania

Method of assessment: Credit with a grade

One unexcused absence is permitted. Any additional absences must be made up during the teacher’s consultation before the final task is due.

The final task will be an assignment, written during the last, 7th meeting, in which the student will analyze selected topic about the self-advocacy and empowerment regarding selected group of people with disabilities:

1. Self-advocacy of people with intellectual disabilities / learning disabilities

2. Self-advocacy of people with mental disorders

3. Self-advocacy of people with autism spectrum disorders

4. Self-advocacy of people with ADHD

5. Self-advocacy of people with visual disabilities or dysfunctions

6. Self-advocacy of people with hearing disabilities or dysfunctions

7. Self-advocacy of people with mobility / physical disabilities

8. Self-advocacy of people with cerebral palsy / Alzheimer's disease / Parkinson's disease

Assessment criteria for the results for grading assignment:

90-100% (5)
80% - 89% (4,5)
70% - 79% (4)
65% - 69%(3,5)
60% - 64%. (3)

unsatisfactory grade: below 60% (2)

Praktyki zawodowe

n/a

Literatura

Anderson, S., & Bigby, C. (2017). Self‐advocacy as a means to positive identities for people with intellectual disability: ‘We just help them, be them really’. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 30(1), 109-120. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12223

Cameron, D.L. (2018). Barriers to Parental Empowerment in the Context of Multidisciplinary Collaboration on Behalf of Preschool Children with Disabilities. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 20(1), 277–285. https://doi.org/10.16993/sjdr.65

Dejna, D., Smieszek, M. (2025). Technology for inclusion: mobile apps in supporting people with disabilities and socially excluded groups. Przegląd Pedagogiczny, 1, 72-86.

Goodley, D. (1997). Locating self-advocacy in models of disability: Understanding disability in the support of self-advocates with learning difficulties. Disability & Society, 12(3), 367-379. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599727227

Nachshen, J. S., & Minnes, P. (2005). Empowerment in parents of school‐aged children with and without developmental disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 49(12), 889-904. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2788.2005.00721.x

Roberts, E. L., Ju, S., & Zhang, D. (2016). Review of practices that promote self-advocacy for students with disabilities. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 26(4), 209-220. https://doi.org/10.1177/1044207314540213

Smieszek, M. (2024). Empowerment of People with Disabilities Within Online Cultures. In The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Disability (pp. 1-8). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-40858-8_141-1

Więcej informacji

Dodatkowe informacje (np. o kalendarzu rejestracji, prowadzących zajęcia, lokalizacji i terminach zajęć) mogą być dostępne w serwisie USOSweb:

Strona przedmiotu 2403-OG-EN-SAaE w USOSweb