Special education program improvement is an essential component of improving the outcomes for youth with disabilities. This session explores the application of Self-Determination Theory through tools and instructional strategies that promote self-determined behaviors at home, on the job, and in the classroom. Participants will discuss the key environmental variables that must be present in each setting, strategies to increase self-determined behavior, and common barriers students with disabilities face during their K-12 experience. Resources will be shared so practitioners can begin implementation immediately.
John’s passion for inclusion and self-advocacy began in high school when his previously included friend disappeared into a self-contained classroom for students with ID in 9th grade. Activism, advocacy, and connections (his mom was a teacher at the high school) led to a slow transition to a more inclusive model, and more importantly, a reunion with his friend. This experience led to John taking the long and winding road that eventually led to the creation of the I’m Determined Project in 2006.
One constant since the 1989 inclusive uprising has been John’s passion for student voice and autonomy. I’m Determined was founded on the belief that through a foundation of competence, autonomy, and relatedness, the sky is the limit for youth with disabilities and they are the pilot.
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