I have been living with my disability since I was in kindergarten. Over the years I have been re-diagnosed several times. This journey has never made me feel “different” or “special”. However, to other people they can see me either way. There are some advantages to being disabled or “different”. They include being able to a person for who they are, fighting harder to obtain my goals, putting my ego aside to get help, being highly motivated, being extremely independent, and lastly helping others using my disability. One of the advantages is being able to see people for who they are. For example, I sit at times with a variety of my disabled friends in the campus cafeteria. People from outside campus go around and take surveys but they never approach the “disabled table”. The reason they approach may be because they see us as different. They don’t think we are intelligent enough. Maybe they don’t know how to approach us because they have never spoken to one of us before. I on the other hand talk to anybody. I treat people the same no matter who they are because I do not want others to feel rejected like others sometimes make “disabled” people feel. I treat others the way wants to be treated. My teachers have learned to see me for who I am. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have to put my pride aside and attain help because of my disability. I have high standards of achievement and because I know my disability does limit me, at times I need, to rely on others and seek help. An example of this would be when I have math homework. I ask others at times, who I don’t even know in my class, and ask them for help or guidance in doing a problem. Everybody needs help at times and I am willing to do this. I think I am more aware of this fact because my disability causes me to be. Another example would be when my brother with me to my to go buy a car. I can’t read that well and so I needed to take someone with me to read the contract. Being able to put my pride aside has taken long way. My disability has taught me to fight harder to obtain my goal. For example, my college advisor at Los Angeles Valley College. and my rehabilitation counselor told me that because my learning disability was so bad and my grades as well, I should consider going to a vocational school. However, I didn’t because I knew that I could do the work but it might take me longer and require special accommodations like proctoring, books on tape and note taker. I have proven. Them I could do it through hard work, getting help, and being focused. My GPA as a result has gone up a whole point from 1.0 to a 3.0. I know my limits. Therefore, when I see others setting my goals and abilities far below what I know I can do, I fight harder. Another advantage is that I have a stronger motivation than other people. The reason for this is because over the years I have constantly heard that I have limits. By very time I hear this I become more persistent and look for alternate routes to get what I need. I am always finding agencies or different routes to help me. For example, my rehabilitation counselor said I didn’t qualify for a computer. So I found an agency, California Computer Resource, that donates computers to students with low incomes and who have a disability. Due to the fact that I was highly motivated and persistent, I am now getting a computer shipped to me within the next week. So this is an advantage. I am very independent; I guess it’s because of my disability. I have always needed to prove to people I can live alone, pay my own bills and be responsible for my own life. I have had to prove this too allot of people. With my Department of Rehabilitation Counselor, I have had to prove that I was able to live myself and manage my schooling. I think people view my disability and other disabilities as impairment and that all disabled live in homes. It is people because of this and other misconceptions that have caused me to appreciate more my independence and prove that I can handle it. Another advantage to having my disability is that I am able to turn my disability into a positive. My disability has led me to get a job at the Learning Center at Los Angeles Valley College. I work with disabled students and help them use the computer programs that I familiar with. I am able to explain these programs in a way that they can understand and that is not above their level of understanding. There at a level similar to mine and it is because of this that I can use my disability as and advantage in helping others. In addition to helping disabled students, I also help non-disabled students on these computers and explain them in the same manner as I would to a disabled student. I am open to helping all people and sharing what I know with them. “I am, however, very clearly the other, if only your everyday, garden-variety, domestic other”. (Madrid, p. 472) However, I don’t harp on the fact that I am the other” or disabled. I change these names or stereotypes into advantages. I learn from my disability and grow as a person and strive every harder. I’ve been taught that just because I’m disabled or “the other,” no one owes me a living. These words are my motto that guides me with living with my disability.

I have received my AA degree in child development at LA Valley College in the year 2000. I want to go to California State University Northridge to get my BA. Degree in Psychology. So I asked my Department of Rehabilitation Counselor and she had to talk to her supervisor and she would get back to me. She calls me and told me for supervisor said no. So I appeal the decision it took one year of harder work to get the decision in my favor. I have two appeals it to Department of Rehabilitation in Sacramento. I had a lot of help with my appeal I have my counselor’s Kelly from North LA r Center she gave me a lot support to being. I am attaining classes here now and I know I me to asked for help from the disabled students office for my special accommodations like to my books on tape, note taker, the reader a writer, and extra for taking my test-taker and if I need some other special equipment to reach my goal . And I have to talk to my professors and tell my special commendations in class. But some professors I found do not know how to common need people with special needs. So if finding a professor who is to help me to chief my goal in class by stay with them. But sample I’d been taking with Dr. Piercy she is that great professor because she listens to her students and she once a help all of us. And you can go to her office and talk to her anytime and her puts or notes and all assignments on a web site. By which all professors were do this. Because is easy for me to get my notes and put it on my computer for my reading program to read it back to me. When I write a paper I have two get someone to prove read it for me because is a get my thoughts out but sometimes it’s not in the right way. I am using Dragon dictate it is a program that I can talk to my computer and write down every thing say. I am going to get mine BA. Degree in psychology in May 2006. I had a lot of help with gaining my degree. Like Dr. Ziz and all the people at the disabled office over the years and all my professors help over year too. I am hoping to go to ULCA for my master’s degree and my doctorate degree because they have a program I can do it together. Or it my masters degree here in education psychology. Because I would like to work with the disabled community to help them reach their goal in life.

Elizabeth Anne Lyons  I was June 26 ,1955   I an progress get  my B.A. in Psychology . And then I went  my M.A  and my Dr. in Psychology.   I an  on the  Board  at North Los Angeles County Regional Center and  Association of Regional Center Agencies on the Consumer Advisory Committee.  Work for one day for  Look at the Person not the disabled.