1. Developing Strategies with Peer Support A taste of: strategies of effective e-learners

2. What Connects You with Other People? What are your characteristics/ interests? What are the characteristics /interests of a significant person in your life? What is the same? Discover common interests and a medium for sharing

3. Critical Ingredients Free from coercion (e.g. voluntary), Participant run and directed, Informal settings with flexibility, Non-hierarchical, and Non-medical approach (e.g. not diagnosing, etc). (Solomon, 2004; Salzer, 2002; Holter et al,2004; Clay,2004; Campbell,2004. Hardiman, 2004).

4. Possible gains? Finding affiliation with someone with similar life experience. Support, sense of community, Having an equal relationship in the process, The helper principle (the notion that being helpful to someone else is also self healing), Empowerment - Taking personal responsibility for making it happen, Advocacy (self and system advocacy skills), Choice and decision making opportunities, Skill development, developing awareness (Campbell, 2004, Clay, 2004).

5. Providing Knowledge It is also not uncommon for people with similar lived experiences to offer each other practical advice and suggestions for strategies that professionals may not offer or even know about. Mead, S. & MacNeil, C. (2004) http://www.gmhcn.org/files/PeerSupport Unique.pdf http://www.gmhcn.org/files/PeerSupport Unique.pdf

6. LexDis website There may be more than 1 direction open to us But as long as we have information We can make informed choices The Learner Voice Signposts to assistive technologies, applications, guides and strategies from students.

7. Discussion How can we ensure learners are rewarded for effective learning strategies and for sharing their skills with others? http://www.lexdis.org