Disability Awareness Training's (DAT) popular advocacy training program is moving to the campus of Niagara University (NU). Developed by David Whalen and unveiled in 2010, this training initiative looks to educate disability advocates on how to work within their municipality so as to ensure proper response to individuals with disabilities. It discusses how to establish a committee on disabilities, identification of the town's ADA coordinator, pertinent laws that need to be adhered to within a municipality, accessibility, recreation and leisure, and First Responders and emergency management specific training. The latter is in direct correlation to the grant David received with Niagara in developing the statewide training for all police, fire and emergency medical services in New York State.

DAT had collaborated with The Advocacy Center out of Rochester, NY last year in the inaugural year of the project. Together the two achieved much success and had some 30 municipalities represented with the intent that they begin to address the expectations laid forth in the training. With the move to NU Dave and his staff will be able to better monitor progress and support trained advocates as they work to enhance their town's response to the barriers and challenges they face in regards to properly serving their citizens with disabilities. It will also allow for NU to track the trainings occurring in their fire and police departments and address any systemic issues that are occurring.