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What is Self-Determination (SD) and why is it Important?
What is Self-Determination (SD) and why is it Important?
Field, Martin, Miller, Ward, and Wehmeyer (1998) defined Self-Determination (SD) as a combination of skills, knowledge, and beliefs that enable a person to engage in goal-directed, self-regulated, autonomous behavior. An understanding of one's strengths and limitations, together with a belief of oneself as capable and effective are essential to SD. When acting on the basis of these skills and attitudes, individuals have greater ability to take control of their lives and assume the role of successful adults in our society (p. 2).
When you consider the overlap between the demands of independent living (e.g., planning meals, paying rent, tracking bills) and the skills addressed in SD instruction, it is not surprising that SD is well known by high school educators generally. SD is especially important for students with disabilities, however, as they are consistently found to be less self-determined as a group than their non-disabled peers even when differences in functional ability are taken into account. Further, research in special education has shown that students with disabilities who leave school more self-determined are more than twice as likely as their peers who are not as self-determined to be employed one year after graduation, and they earn significantly more. Three years following graduation, they are significantly more likely to have secured jobs providing benefits (e.g., health coverage and vacation) and to be living outside of their family home (Wehmeyer & Palmer, 2017; Wehmeyer & Schwartz, 1997). Emerging research indicates SD instruction may also help students to experience more success in school (e.g., fewer absences and disciplinary referrals; Ryan & Deci 2000).
Individuals with Disabilities Explain Self-Determination
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Where do I Begin With Teaching Self-Determination Skills?
Where do I Begin With Teaching Self-Determination Skills?
SD has long been an important part of post-high transition planning, but SD related instruction has potential to be even more impactful when started during middle or elementary school. Several groups have developed packaged materials for elementary and secondary educators interested in integrating SD into their curriculum (e.g., see the I'm Determined project's Self-Determination Toolkit from the Virginia Department of Education, Self-Determination Toolkit from the UAA Center on Human Development, and Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction developed by Shogren, Wehmeyer, Burke, & Palmer. Our very own MRSD TOSA Dan Rankin compiled a Scope and Sequence for Teaching Self-Determination Skills to High School Students with Disabilitie (SSTSD) teachers may also wish to explore.
Self-Assessment
Self-Assessment
Completing the Educator Self-Assessment (Elementary version: here, Secondary Version: here) from I'm Determined is a great first step toward integrating SD into your current practices. The Educator Self-Assessment identifies the self-determination practices you are currently engaging in and where you might expand your work. For a more comprehensive understanding of the alignment of your current curriculum with SD, you can complete the I'm Determined Needs Assessment. The needs assessment can also be completed by a group of educators to get a broad understanding of school and program needs.
Assessing Students
Assessing Students
Where needs assessment provides general directions for your program, student assessments provide the understanding of your students' unique profiles of SD strengths and weaknesses, information that is vital in developing appropriate SD goals and intervention plans. At the elementary level, the I'm Determined program offers a brief Student Self-Assessment to gauge disability awareness, decision making, preparedness for IEP participation, etc. At the secondary level, the ARC Self-Determination Scale for students is designed to provide a more precise understanding of a student's self-determination skills.
Introducing SD and Engaging Parents/Caregivers
Introducing SD and Engaging Parents/Caregivers
Emerging best practices advocate for student's to be actively involved in the IEP process from a young age. Nevertheless, educators acknowledge starting these conversation can be difficult, especially when parents are still experiencing grief related to disability. The I'm Determined Parent Brochure can help you begin discussions around SD in a sensitive way so parents feel good about their and their child's involvement in this important work. Parents of preadolescent students, who are interested in learning about what they can do at home to inspire SD may also be interested in this list of SD activities developed by Dale Pennell, C.A.S. and Elaine Gould, M.Ed. Those who are interested in understanding the history and scientific underpinnings of this work, may wish to read the: Self-Determination Across the Life Span Independence and Choice for People with Disabilities (this link takes you to Amazon, where a used copy can be had for $6).
Parents can be engaged further in SD work by providing input on assessments, such as the Parent Self-Determination Checklist from I'm Determined. Similar to the ARC, the AIR Self-Determination Assessments offers a parent scale that provides more comprehensive coverage of SD skills. Staff interested in a systematic approach to engaging families in learning about student preference, may wish to explore the Child Preference Indicators Guide from the Center for Learning and Leadership/ UCEDD, College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center; it is designed to guide informal conversations with the family over a period of time to identify preferences in numerous domains.
What SD Instructional Strategies can I Start Using Right now?
What SD Instructional Strategies can I Start Using Right now?
Some staff may choose to adapt toolkits or specific SD Instructional Practices into their work whereas others might choose to infuse SD throughout the curriculum.
Infusing SD Into Current Practices
Infusing SD Into Current Practices
Doll, Sands, Wehmeyer, and Palmer (1996) identified age-appropriate class activities addressing many SD components:
SD Modules and Instructional Strategies
SD Modules and Instructional Strategies
Exploring Disability
(Most of the following materials are from Unit 1: Disability Awareness, Disclosure and the Self-Directed IEP of Dan Rankin's SSTSD)Exploring Disability
Understanding disability is a vital part of SD. Students who do not understand their disability, rights as a person with a disability inside and outside of school, and the supports that work best for them cannot master subsequent skills.
As there will likely be many different disabilities in your class, the best way to begin exploring student disability is the IEP. The following supports and activities may be helpful in teaching students to understand their IEPs:
For Students
itsallaboutme-understandingmyiep.pdfFor Parents
Disclosure
Our students often struggle with the question of “to disclose” or “not to disclose.” The following workbook was designed to offer information and practice opportunities students will need to learn how to disclose most effectively.
Disability_Disclosure_For_Students.pdfSelf-Directed IEP
Self-Directed IEP
Student-led IEP meetings may be the most well-known and ambitious SD practice. Staff who are interested in integrating student-led IEPs into their curriculum can consider the comprehensive Self-Directed IEP Manual and Choicemaker Self-Directed IEP Lesson Plan or a more general frameworks of the Self-Advocacy Strategy and Self-Determined IEP Model. Others, especially elementary educators, may be interested in using the I'm Determined materials (e.g., Participation Rubric, Student Brochure [English & Spanish]) to identify the most meaningful ways for students to participate. Don't forget to use exit surveys to critically evaluate your student-led IEPS (student exit survey, parent exit survey, teacher exit survey)
from the District of Columbia Office of State Superintendent of Education
One Pagers
One Pagers
One pagers are designed to concisely summarize information about students: what they are interested in, what works for them, and what they want others to know about them. Developing one pagers involves a range of SD skills and the finished product can help staff and students introduce themselves in inclusive settings.
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