Promoting Access to the General Curriculum by Teaching Self-Determination Skills

Abstract

Although participation and progress in the general curriculum is mandated for all students, models to achieve such access often neglect students with more severe disabilities. Promoting self-determination linked to standards is an entry point to ensuring access to the general curriculum for all students, including students with severe disabilities. In this study, middle school students with intellectual disabilities alternately learned problem-solving and study planning skills linked to language arts, science, and social studies standards. Students in both intervention groups showed significantly more capacity on the targeted skill as compared to the alternating control group, and all students achieved goals at better than average levels. Promoting self-determination provides students with disabilities with additional strategies to access the general curriculum.