Fifteen students graduated Tuesday from a six-week program held by the Self-Advocacy Association of New York State.

The course helps people with disabilities to advocate on their own behalf. They learned about their rights, legislation and issues that matter most.

"Our organization creates easy read language type documents so that the men and women can learn about the topics and eloquently talk about them," said SANYS Long Island Regional Coordinator Michelle Flood.

Part of the program had students work together as teams and go out in the community to learn how to use their voices. A group of the graduates rallied in Hauppauge earlier this month to call on state legislators to support a cost-of-living adjustment for their direct care workers.

"We had our signs up, and we picketed," said Stacie Ehrlich, a student in the program.

The special graduation comes during National Disabilities Awareness Month.