The LEAD Group: Colorado Springs , Colorado

Program in Brief:

High school students diagnosed with a learning disability apply to participate in Learning and Educating About Disabilities (LEAD) at Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Elementary and middle school students with learning disabilities are also associated with the group through its mentoring program. The group developed through the work of the school guidance counselor and special education teacher. The group is currently taught by the same special education teacher.

Populations Served:

Ninth and tenth graders in the program participate in a one-credit course that educates them about their disability, using their cumulative folder as their textbook. They are also coached on the use of self-advocacy skills and serve as mentors to elementary and middle school students. Mentoring in elementary school focuses on normalizing the experience of a learning disability; while mentoring at middle school focuses on preparing for high school and possible participation in LEAD. Eleventh and twelfth graders in the program also participate in a one-credit course, in which they continue to learn about themselves and ways to develop their self-advocacy skills, as well as develop and implement presentations about their own experiences with their disability and disability issues in general.

Exemplar Approaches to Promoting Self-Determination:

Students in LEAD spend extensive amounts of time learning about their individual strengths, areas of improvement, and how their disability impacts their lives. A support group function is incorporated into the course, so that students can act as sounding boards. Students have participated in retreats as a means of developing the cohesiveness and supportiveness of the group. Guest speakers from the community, ranging from a school psychologist to alumni with learning disabilities provide an additional “real life” perspective for students.

Community presentations to small groups of students in other schools, parent groups, employers, school boards, teacher gatherings, and even national conferences give students the opportunity to articulate their knowledge. Presentations are intended to develop empathy and understanding for employees who may have learning disabilities as well as provide information on how other schools can begin similar groups.

The students help determine course content and plan for community presentations. Student ownership is critical to the program’s success. The group’s leaders also credit the phenomenal support of parents and the reputation of the program with school administrators for its success. Specific content of the course is guided by students; however, there is a sequence of instruction beginning with students learning about their own disability and their individual strengths and needs. Students then develop and fine tune their communication skills to self-advocate and present their message to others.

Contact Information:

Al Pocock, special education teacher, pocock@cmsd.k12.co.us
Cheyenne Mountain High School
1200 Cresta Road
Colorado Springs , CO 80906
www.leadcolorado.org