Self-determination Skills Research Articles

Barriers, Facilitators and Implications for Practice: Secondary Findings from a Program Evaluation of a Novel School Based Community Based Instruction (CBI) Program in Elementary School for Students with Autism

ABSTRACT A mixed methodologies study was completed to evaluate an elementary school-based Community-Based Instruction (CBI) program for students with autism and secondary findings were identified in the focus group analysis related to barriers to program success, facilitators of program success and implications for practice including occupational therapy. Developed and coordinated by an occupational therapist, the program’s mission was to develop work behaviors, job skills, social skills, career interests, and self-determination skills by generalizing knowledge from the classroom through the performance of jobs within the elementary school. Jobs in the school community included running a coffee cart, performing library jobs, organizing a Lost and Found, maintaining a garden, and running a farmer’s market to name a few. The program evaluation results showed positive program knowledge and positive attitudes among three stakeholder groups (staff, parents, and administrators) through quantitative and qualitative findings. Through the thematic analysis of the focus groups, barriers to program implementation, facilitators of program success and implications for practice were identified including implications for school-based occupational therapy practitioners which this article further explains.

Multidimensional factors determine skill acquisition development in Guided Self-Determination: A qualitative study.

The aim of the study was to investigate nurses' skill acquisition in Guided Self-Determination according to the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition and Patricia Benner's studies based on the same model. Globally, person-centred care is acknowledged as an essential aspect of quality in health care. To succeed with person-centred care methods and skills are necessary. Guided Self-Determination is a person-centred method developed in the field of nursing. The method represents a new way of skill acquisition requiring knowledge of how skills are acquired, unfolded and best supported in Guided Self-Determination. Qualitative interview study. From January 2019 to August 2019, 16 nurses were interviewed about their experiences of learning and using Guided Self-Determination in three different gynaecological settings: cancer, endometriosis and sexual abuse. The study was registered with the Danish Data Protection Agency (file no.: VD-2018-445, I-Suite no.: 6700). The spectrum in Guided Self-Determination acquisition skills ranged from following schematical procedures in a rigorous way to an extended understanding of exploring and supporting the person-centred concept. Two main themes were identified: Elements in the transition of knowledge from theory to practice and Aspects associated with Guided Self-Determination skill acquisition. Nurses practised Guided Self-Determination at different levels. Quantity of practising Guided Self-Determination was not the only aspect determining rapid progression. The Dreyfus model lacked several explanatory components of skill acquisition, such as personal dispositions, preferences, motivation, personal values and context.

חוויית המעבר מעולם האקדמיה לעולם העבודה עבור בוגרי תואר עם מוגבלות

The inclusion of people with disabilities in the labor market strengthens personal development and equal participation in society. Acquiring a higher education in today's modern world increases the likelihood of integrating in the world of work. For people with disabilities, participation in the workforce is strongly dependent on obtaining a higher education. Consequently, enhancing participation in higher education is of great importance. Recognition of the importance of higher education has led to the development of support services for students with disabilities. Nevertheless, success with respect to including students with disabilities in higher education institutions has not yet yielded adequate success with respect to their transition into employment. Students with disabilities rarely acquire preparation to cope with the transition to the world of work. Therefore, the current study examined the experience of students with disabilities as they transitioned from higher education into employment. Method: The study used a qualitative-phenomenological research approach in which 15 graduates with disabilities from five different academic institutions in Israel were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed and encoded in a multi-stage analysis. Results: Analysis of transcripts revealed three main themes: (1) The meaning of the academic studies; (2) The transition into employment; (3) The participants' life journey as people with disabilities. In all three themes, interviewees stressed the development of self-determination skills, such as active conduct, assertiveness, and self-advocacy for integrating into various aspects of life. Discussion: The research findings can be used as a basis for recognizing the factors that influence the integration of graduates with disabilities into employment. A significant research finding is the importance of skills in self-determination to achieving life goals. The skills in self- determination are conceptualized as a mediator between the graduates' self-perceptions of being like everyone else and being different from the mainstream. The research emphasizes the need for intervention in academic settings to support students with disabilities in their transition from higher education into employment, with an emphasis on their development of skills in self- determination. This study raises awareness about occupational therapists' potential to contribute during academic integration and transitions to work

Teachers' Perceptions of Self-Determination among Deaf / Hard of Hearing Students

Background: This study aims to assess the level of self-determination skills acquired by deaf and hard of hearing students (HISs) as perceived by their teachers. And to examine whether their levels differ due to variations in severity, type of disability, students’ age, or teachers’ years of experience as independent variables. The dependent variable is the level of self-determination skills.
 Methods: A descriptive-analytical method was used. The study sample consisted of 90 teachers who responded to a self-determination skills questionnaire. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics through averages, standard deviations, relative weight, the Kruskal–Wallis test, and the Mann–Whitney test to validate the study hypotheses. 
 Results: The findings revealed that HISs acquired a high level of self-determination skills in their teachers’ views (M = 3.638, RW = 72.8%). In addition, there were significant differences in the level of self-determination skills acquired by HISs in relation to disability severity and the students’ ages. On the other hand, no significant differences were detected according to the type of disability or the teachers’ years of experience. Independent variables significantly contribute to determining the level of self-determination skills in the deaf and hard of hearing. 
 Conclusion: The study's findings present empirical evidence indicating the feasibility of improving self-determination skills for the hearing impaired and suggest further studies.

홈프로젝트 학습모형을 적용한 여가활용 수업에서 얻게 된 중학교 특수학급 교사의 실천적 지식

This study aims to investigate the practical knowledge of middle school special class teachers obtained in the leisure activity classes applying the home project class model. For this purpose, a action research method in which 6 students from special classes and their parents participate was applied. One session was to implement the contents of leisure activity learned at school at home. A total of 5 sessions of classes and class council were conducted. The results of analyzing the collected data are as follows. There are five top categories, which are ‘movie-watching activities that are still difficult for students’, ‘schools and families working together’, ‘leisure activities prepared at school’, and ‘students who grow according to their own choices’ , ‘family changing together’. And 11 subcategories, and 26 semantic units were derived. First, it was possible to confirm the effect of applying the home project learning model in conducting the home-connected leisure class. Second, the guidance for home-connection needs to be specific and it needs to target all family members, and third, the school Pre-education should be designed to be applicable in the field of leisure activities. Fourth, it was confirmed that self-determination skills, social skills, social skills, and participation behaviors of students with disabilities were positively changed through home-connected leisure classes. Fifth, it was found that students’ leisure activities should be continued even in disaster situations such as COVID-19 infectious disease. The significance of this study can be found in that it suggests a systematic home connection plan for students’ leisure activities using the home project learning model.

A Self-Monitoring Intervention to Improve the Self-Determination of Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disability in a Postsecondary Educational Program

Self-determination skills are critical for improving life outcomes for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). The recent growth of postsecondary education (PSE) programs for those with IDD has provided additional opportunities for teaching self-determination skills. This study used a multiple probe across participants design with six individuals with IDD. The intervention consisted of a self-determination choice-making curriculum along with the use of a self-monitoring checklist to increase self-determination skills. Data were analyzed using visual analysis. Results revealed gains in participants’ knowledge of choice-making steps with moderate effect size gains. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

The Self-Determination Inventory: Student Report American Sign Language Translation.

Research literature and community narratives both emphasize the importance of self-determination in the lives of deaf youth. This paper describes the development, initial validation, and potential applications of a translated measure of self-determination for deaf youth, the SDI:SR ASL Translation (SDI:SR ASL). A sample of 3,309 young people who completed the SDI:SR, of whom 392 were deaf, was used in this validation study. Results provide preliminary support for the use of SDI:SR ASL with deaf youth. Findings also indicate that deaf youth who take the SDI:SR ASL score more similarly to youth without disabilities taking the SDI:SR than youth with disabilities. The SDI:SR ASL can be an important tool for researchers and practitioners to better understand self-determination among deaf youth and facilitate continued development of self-determination skills.

개별화전환계획(ITP) 참여 증진 프로그램이 고등학교 장애학생의 ITP 지식 및 회의 기술, 자기결정력에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of the student-directed individualized transition plan on the ITP knowledge, ITP meeting skills and self-determination of high school students with disabilities. The participants in this study consisted of 20 high school students with disabilities(10 in the experimental group and 10 in the control group). To evaluate the effects of the program both the experimental and control groups were evaluated for ITP knowledge, ITP meeting skills and their self-determination skills. The results of this research are as follows: First, the changes in the Participant`s ITP knowledge was significantly larger for the experimental group when compared to that of the control group. Second, ITP meeting skills of the experimental group that participated in the program were found to be significantly improved after the intervention. Third, the changes in the self-determination skills of the experimental group that participated in the program was significantly larger when compared to that of the control group. These findings show that the program was effective towards enhancing the ITP knowledge, ITP meeting skills and self-determination of high school students with disabilities. This research has contributed to addressing the needs of the special education field by providing a program that assists students with disabilities to participate in ITP. Moreover, this study comes equipped with practical implications in terms of providing both effective instructional strategies and materials to promote the active participation of students with disabilities in the ITP process.

Appropriateness, Acceptability, and Feasibility of a Neurodiversity-Based Self-determination Program for Autistic Adults.

Published self-determination programs do not adequately address the needs of autistic adults. We designed a multi-component self-determination program, grounded in the neurodiversity paradigm, to help autistic adults achieve goals to improve their quality of life. The first phase involved 5days of psychoeducation, practice, and social events; the second phase included 3months of telecoaching; and the third phase included follow-up. Thirty-four university students coached 31 autistic adults on three evolving goals. On average, participants completed one goal per week. Most participants were satisfied with the program. We found that the program was appropriate, acceptable, and feasible. This program is a promising approach to helping autistic adults gain self-determination skills and improve their quality of life.

Self-Determination of Persons with Sensory Disabilities

This study aimed to determine female pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward self-determination skills for persons with sensory disabilities. Data were collected using a questionnaire of attitudes toward self-determination skills from 80 female pre-service teachers at Mu’tah University in Jordan to achieve the study’s aims. The findings indicated that their attitudes were positive. There were no statistically significant differences in teachers’ attitudes toward self-determination skills for persons with sensory disabilities depending on the academic year or previous experience with persons with disabilities. In contrast, there were statistically significant differences in attitudes due to the presence of a disability in the individual's family.
 
 Received: 31 October 2021 / Accepted: 18 March 2022 / Published: 5 May 2022

Self-determination skills: Building a foundation for student success

Among different transitions that happen in a young person’s life, transition to adulthood can be one of the most challenging. The new post-school environment requires increased self-determination, including self-awareness, self-advocacy, self-management, and other important skills that help one function as an independent adult. Because it takes time to develop and nurture self-determination skills, it is important to begin early and continue infusing self-determination into various aspects of instruction. Discussed in this article are SCORE strategies for embedding self-determination skills into classroom settings. Multiple tools and resources are provided to aid with the selection and application processes. A vignette is offered to illustrate guidance for implementation with the goal of improved self-determination skills and enhanced experiences for all learners while in school and beyond.

IMPACT OF EMPLOYMENT ON DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-DETERMINATION SKILLS IN ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

The purpose of education for all students with or without intellectual disability is preparation for adulthood. Unfortunately there are aspects of the special education process which serve as barriers to their outcome. The opportunities to make choices, express preferences, experience control over outcomes, take risks and assume responsibility for personal actions are highly prized by most people. Perceptions of adulthood are linked directly to these adult roles (Blalock, 1988). Self-determination is a concept reflecting the belief that individuals have the right to direct their own lives. Students with intellectual disability who have self determination skills have better chances of being successful in making the transition to adulthood including employment and independence (Wehmeyer and Schwartz 1997). A self determined person sets goals, makes decisions, sees options, solves problems, speaks for himself, understands what supports are needed for success and knows how to evaluate outcomes (Mortin and Marshal 1996), To lead an independent life in the society it is important for persons with intellectual disability to develop self-determination skills. The study was conducted on a sample size of 10 adults with intellectual disability with mild to moderate level of severity and are employed in various set ups from various socio economic status. To measure the level of self determination skills Self Determination Scale for Adults with Intellectual Disability (SDSAID) was used. The scale has 36 items spread over five domains i.e., Personal management, Community participation, Recreation and leisure time, Decision making and Problem solving. It is a self administered tool. It was observed that employed adults with mild intellectual disability with more experience has performed better in overall self-determination skill.

Elementary Students’ Performance and Perceptions of Robot Coding and Debugging: Embodied Approach in Practice

ABSTRACT Using robotics and programming, this study investigated the effects of different levels of embodied instruction on the problem-solving, debugging, programming proficiency, self-determination, and self-efficacy of students in ethnically diverse elementary classrooms. The first small-scale, quasi-experimental study involved 37 second-graders, who were randomly assigned to an embody or a non-embody group. Results showed that embodied planning activities benefited these young learners’ LEGO Robotics problem-solving and self-determination skills. Based on these findings, a second study implemented different types of embodied activities (full-embody, low-embody, and control condition) in a debugging problem-solving activity for 51 kindergarten and 1st-grade students, also from ethnically diverse populations. The findings from this study suggested that the embodied learning activities promoted students’ problem-solving skills in robotics and the use of debugging strategies in coding applications. However, different effects were found for groups by condition and the outcome variable. Based on these mixed results, the authors propose activities applicable in real-world elementary classrooms to introduce practical robotics and programming activities.

Mental Health of Female Adolescents With Disabilities: Considerations for Career Development

Female adolescents with disabilities are at an increased risk for mental health concerns, which can negatively impact their self-determination, making transition to postschool opportunities difficult. We analyzed two waves of survey data from 366 female adolescents with disabilities, recruited from 26 U.S. public high schools, as part of a randomized controlled trial of a career development intervention. Participants with mental health concerns evidenced a slower increase in self-determination over the follow-up period than those without such concerns. Individuals assigned to the intervention condition experienced significant gains in self-determination compared with the control. Findings suggest that mental health concerns can operate as a barrier to growth in self-determination skills among this population, though targeted interventions can help in boosting these skills.

Perceived Self-Determination Growth During an International Expedition for Adolescents With and Without Disabilities

Abstract Two factors that positively influence success in school and in post-school settings are self-determination and social programs such as expeditions for students with and without disabilities. This mixed methods study examined the benefits of a two-week international expedition to Nepal for adolescents (ages 14-18) with and without disabilities from the United States. The researchers measured self-determination in student participants utilizing the Self-Determination Inventory: Student Report (Shogren et al., 2020) as a pre/post-program measure and the No Barriers USA Program Evaluation (Duerden et al., 2016) as post-program measure. Twelve adolescents and four adult leaders who participated in the international expedition were interviewed to determine their perceptions of the benefits for students. The self-determination scores of student participants significantly increased (p = .007) after participation in the two-week expedition. Four major themes emerged from the data: disability and identity, self-determination growth, accessing supports, and sense of purpose. Using a mixed methods approach, we compared and integrated findings that support previous studies indicating that social programs increase self-determination skills. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Academic Resilience: The Ultimate Thriving Constituent Toward Persistence in Doctoral Studies

A doctoral degree is perceived as a milestone in one’s expedition of educational advancement; however, studies show that 40% to 60% doctoral candidates do not possess persistence to complete their degree. The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry is to explore the factors that contribute toward increasing the persistence level among the doctoral students. Semi structured in-person interviews of eight participants (four male and four female) selected through snowball sampling were conducted in a university setting. The thematic analysis identified certain motivational factors including career progression, gaining subject command, and the desire to achieve self-actualization. Autonomy, sense of purpose, self-determination, and problem-solving skills were found to be the most effective factors that promote resiliency in the students to help complete their degrees.

The efficacy of self-determination skills training on the psychological well-being and resilience of mothers of children with down syndrome

The efficacy of self-determination skills training on the psychological well-being and resilience of mothers of children with down syndrome

Inclusive Education of Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and PK-12 Leadership: Introduction to Special Issue

Increasing equity and access to inclusive environments requires a complex intersection of people, policies, practices, and procedures at the state, district, school, and education team level. At the macro level, equitable systems change requires systematic investigation of the structural barriers embedded and perpetuated within the very educational system purported to help close the achievement gap for those who have been marginalized in our PK-12 education systems (Ryndak et al., 2014). At the micro level, change requires an examination of how individuals navigate systemic barriers.Focusing on issues associated with PK-12 education leadership and students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) has the potential to address the deeply rooted critical inequities that students with disabilities face regarding access to quality education with same age-grade non-disabled peers occurring across the globe. The manuscripts in this special issue represent a multi-level system focus on inclusive practices and provide actionable recommendations for PK-12 leaders as they address issues of access and inclusion for students with IDD.Choiseul-Praslin et al. examine mothers' experiences in the IEP process. The findings indicate that PK-12 education leaders must make systemic efforts to empower mothers (and all parents and families) during the IEP process in order to improve parent-school partnerships. Similarly, three manuscripts in this issue highlight the need for PK-12 leaders to reconsider the content gaps for students with IDD and how access to school-wide structures is or is not provided to all students. Specifically, they highlight the need for instructional content and practices that provide opportunities to gain self-determination skills, access technology, and be a part of system-wide positive behavior supports.Fisher et al. present findings that demonstrate a concerning lack of digital access for students with IDD, which results in greater digital isolation and fewer opportunities for social interaction. Similarly, Zagona et al. address how students with IDD should and could be included in the school-wide positive intervention and behavior support (SWPBIS) systems. These articles include recommendations for how PK-12 educational leaders can support practitioners in providing fidelity in instruction, and access to content and structures that are lacking for students with IDD. They include policy, procedure, and practice recommendations that are particularly pertinent for PK-12 leaders as they focus on expectations for teacher training and school structures, and decision-making around investment approaches.Approaching sustainable change through a multilevel system-wide approach is also reflected in the policy implementation research of Cosier et al. included in this special issue. The authors found relationships between probability of placement and district socioeconomic status and size. These results present items for consideration for policy-makers and district leaders as they consider placement decisions for students with IDD as well as associated factors such as teacher and leader professional learning.Overall, the collection of articles in this special issue represent the multi-level system-wide approach to inclusive practices necessary for education leaders to consider as they move toward increasing equity and access for students with IDD. Considering this finding within the larger context of systemic and structural racism, classism, and ableism in our education systems (Annamma, 2018), it is vital that all components of the education system be scrutinized for structural policies, practices, and procedures that support an unbalanced power dynamic, especially one that continues to deny access to general education classes for students with IDD. This special issue presents approaches for consideration for PK-12 education leaders as they design and implement this important work.

Bridge to the Future: A Career Exploration Frame of Reference for Students with Disabilities

Exploring and facilitating the transition process from school to employment for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), especially those still in the school system, has now become an important concern for researchers, educators, and service providers working in this area. The Bridge to the Future (BTTF) Frame of Reference offers a new approach to facilitate the school-to-work transition for secondary school students with IDD in a self-contained classroom setting by adopting the Social Cognitive Career Theory and Self-Determination Theory as its main theoretical foundation. The BTTF Frame of Reference was developed for use by the team of transdisciplinary school professionals. It aims to facilitate students’ learning in the area of career exploration, goal setting, and work-related skills, as well as to improve students’ self-efficacy and self-determination skills. The purpose of the BTTF Frame of Reference is to provide guidelines to teach students with IDD vocational skills as well as other life skills, including ADLs, IADLs, and community participation, and to increase students’ readiness for transition through engaging them in career exploration activities.

Self-Determination in Autistic Transition-Aged Youth without Intellectual Disability.

Self-determination refers to an individual's capacity and opportunities to act as a causal agent in their own lives to make choices, decisions, and set goals. The current study examined self- and parent-reports of the AIR Self-Determination Scale in transition-aged autistic youth (Based on stakeholder preferences, we use identity-first(autistic) or neutral language (on the autism spectrum) (Bottema-Beutel in JAMA 3:18-29, 2020)). Autistic youth completed depression and executive function measures, and parents rated their child's social-communication and executive function difficulties. Despite differences between youth and parent reports, both youth and their parents reported lower self-determination skills (capacity) than opportunities to practice self-determined behaviors. Both depression and executive function skills were related to self-determination capacity, highlighting potential intervention targets for transition-aged youth to facilitate increased self-determination and potentially improved adult outcomes.