Advocacy, Where to Start?

As a person with a disability and a parent of two children with disabilities, I have been called many things over the years. Some of them flattering: strong, independent, passionate, admirable, intelligent. Some of them not so flattering: stubborn, pushy, difficult, overbearing, know-it-all. While the use of each of these words has been accurate at one time or another, there is one word that fittingly encompasses them all: Advocate.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines an advocate as "a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy" -Retrieved May 1, 2013 from http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/advocate 
I was born with a visual impairment such that I am legally blind and 100% color blind. I didn't really learn to advocate for myself until I was on my own at college. After that, I went to law school because I wanted to be an advocate for children. While I practiced law for several years, I didn't begin advocating for children until I became a parent. 
What is my cause? On a personal level, it has been to ensure my children and I have the opportunity, tools and support we need to succeed to the best of our abilities. On a more global level, my goal is to encourage and assist other parents to secure the same for their children. 
How does one start to advocate? Parents are natural advocates for their children. After all, who knows them best? As Sir Francis Bacon once said, "Knowledge is power". You already know your child so the next step is to know about his/her disability. Learn as much as you can about what it is and how it affects your child. What are the characteristics, effects, treatments, prognoses? Keep up to date on any new developments. Next, know the law. Familiarize yourself with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and No Child Left Behind.  Once you are familiar with the law and the procedures schools are required to follow, you will be better prepared to work with the school to assess your child's current educational needs. 
If this seems like a lot to take on, there are advocates out there like myself who can help.  The problem with allowing the school to make all the decisions regarding your child's education is that even when they have the best of intentions, there are other factors such as budgetary concerns, resource management, employment issues, state and district expectations which make it impossible for your child to be their primary concern.