Expanding Special Education Advocacy: Replication of the Volunteer Advocacy Project by Community-Based Family Support Organizations

In this presentation, we will explain how the Volunteer Advocacy Project (VAP), a special education advocacy training, was replicated by community-based organizations in three states. Each agreed to: provide the VAP for 10 participants, collect data, and support participants in advocating for families of individuals with disabilities. 
We will provide background about special education advocacy and efficacy research for the VAP. We will explain how organizations modified the VAP to meet the needs of their diverse communities. We will share findings from quantitative and qualitative data to highlight implications for community-based organizations that support individuals with disabilities and their families.