Self-Determination

Michael L. Wehmeyer, Ph.D. is Professor of Special Education; Director, Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities; and Associate Director, Beach Center on Disability, all at the University of Kansas. Dr. Wehmeyer is engaged in teacher personnel preparation in the area of severe, multiple disabilities and directs multiple federally funded projects conducting research and model development in the education of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He is the author of more than 180 articles or book chapters and has authored, co-authored or co-edited 19 books on disability and education-related issues, including issues pertaining to self-determination, transition, universal design for learning and access to the general curriculum for students with significant disabilities, and technology use by people with cognitive disabilities. He is a Fellow of the American Association on Mental Retardation, a past president of the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Career Development and Transition, and is Editor-in-Chief for the journal Remedial and Special Education. In 1999 Dr. Wehmeyer was the inaugural recipient of the Distinguished Early Career Research Award from the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division for Research. In May, 2003 he was awarded the American Association on Mental Retardation’s National Education award. Dr. Wehmeyer holds undergraduate and Masters degrees in special education from the University of Tulsa and a Masters degree in experimental psychology from the University of Sussex in Brighton, England, where he was a Rotary International Teacher of the Handicapped Fellow. He earned his Ph.D. in Human Development and Communication Sciences from the University of Texas at Dallas. Sharon Field, Ed.D., is Professor (Research) and Co-director of the Center for Self-Determination and Transition in the College of Education at Wayne State University. Her areas of specialization include self-determination, transition and life skills, and applied positive psychological practices. She has directed several federally funded transition and self-determination projects. Through these projects she developed, with Dr. Alan Hoffman, a model of self-determination and the Steps to Self-Determination curriculum and, with Drs. Alan Hoffman and Shlomo Sawilowsky, a self-determination assessment battery. She has written extensively on self-determination for persons with and without disabilities. Her work has included development of materials and strategies to promote self-determination at the early childhood, elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels. She is also the lead author of The Self-Determined Educator, a set of instructional modules for use in initial preparation and staff development settings designed to promote self-determination for teachers and Self-Determined Parenting , an instructional support program for parents. She has direct service experience in schools as a special education teacher, job placement specialist and administrator. Dr. Field earned her Master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and her Ed.D. in Educational Policy, Governance and Administration from the University of Washington.

"There is not available a more comprehensive book in the area of self-determination."

• PrefaceAcknowledgementsAbout the Authors1. Self-Determination: What Is It and Why Is It Important to Students With Disabilities?Self-Determination: What Is It?A Functional Model of Self-DeterminationA Five-Step Model of Self-DeterminationSelf-Determination: Why Is It Important to Students With Disabilities?Impact of Promoting Component Elements of Self-Determined BehaviorImpact of Promoting Self-Determination2. Self-Determination in the Era of Standards-Based ReformPromoting Self-Determination in the General Education CurriculumSelf-Determination Content in General Education StandardsSelf-Determination and Curriculum ModificationsInfusing Instruction Into the General Education Curriculum PlanningCurriculum Content3. Educational Planning and Student InvolvementIEP Planning, Access to the General Education Curriculum, and Self-DeterminationSupplementary Aids and ServicesSpecially Designed InstructionOther Educational NeedsSelf-Advocacy and Student Involvement in Educational PlanningPromoting Self-AdvocacyStudent Involvement in Educational Planning4. Schoolwide and Classroom Ecological InterventionsQuality Indicators of Programmatic EffortsQuality Indicator #1: Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes for Self-Determination Are Addressed in the Curriculum, in Family Support Programs, and in Staff DevelopmentQuality Indicator #2: Students, Parents, and Staff Are Involved Participants in Individualized Educational Decision Making and PlanningQuality Indicator #3: Students, Families, Faculty, and Staff Are Provided With Opportunities for ChoiceQuality Indicator #4: Students, Families, Faculty and Staff Are Encouraged to Take Appropriate RisksQuality Indicator #5: Supportive Relationsips Are EncouragedQuality Indicator #6: Accommodations and Supports for Individual Needs Are ProvidedQuality Indicator #7: Students, Families, and Staff Have the Opportunity to Express Themselves and Be UnderstoodQuality Indicator #8: Consequences for Actions Are PredictableQuality Indicator #9: Self-Determination Is Modeled Throughout the School Environment5. Teacher-Directed Instructional StrategiesLearning Process StrategiesModeling and MentorsCooperative Learning GroupsCoachingBehavioral StrategiesTeaching Component Elements of Self-Determined BehaviorTeaching Goal Setting and AttainmentTeaching Problem SolvingTeaching Decision MakingFostering Self-Awareness and Self-KnowledgePromoting Choice MakingAttribution RetrainingCurricular Materials6. Student-Directed Learning and Peer-Mediated Instructional StrategiesStudent-Directed Learning StrategiesAntecedent Cue RegulationSelf-Monitoring, Self-Evaluation, and Self-ReinforcementSelf-InstructionMultiple Strategy UseThe Self-Determined Learning Model of InstructionPeer-Mediated Learning Strategies7. Assessing Student Needs and and Evaluation ProgramAssessing Instructional Needs in Self-DeterminationThe Arc′s Self-Determination ScaleSelf-Determination Assessment BatteryThe AIR Self-Determination ScaleProgram EvaluationEmpowerment Evaluation8. Family Support for Self-DeterminationHow Families Impact Student Self-DeterminationStrategies and Resouces to Help Family Members Learn About Self-DeterminationFamily Support for Self-Determination: Tips and ToolsSharing Stories About Self-DeterminationMaking the Most of Teachable MomentsProviding a Positive Role Model of Self-Determination9. Nurturing the Self-Determination of TeachersWhat Do Educators Need to Know to Be Self-Determined in Their Work?What Can Teachers Do to Build and Nurture Their Self-Determination?Resource A. Self Determination Quality Indicators Assessment ToolResource B. The Arc′s Self-Determination ScaleReferencesIndex