AN AFFILIATE OF THE LIFE SPAN INSTITUTE & THE DEPT. OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

Beach Center on Disability

Self-Determination

RELATED RESOURCES


What It Is

Self-Determination refers to the process of being in charge of one's own life to the degree than a person and that person's family believe is important. Self-Determination involves the capacity, the needed supports, and the opportunity provided for making choices and decisions. These choices and decisions may be related to where a person lives, whether the person has a job, and how the person spends leisure time.

 

Self-determination in transition to adulthood for youth with disabilities: The impact of interventions on self-determination and adult outcomes

This longitudinal project includes three studies to address all students with an IEP who have mild, moderate, and even severe disability labels, including a cohort of students who are in foster care or who are adjudicated. The teachers and students use a variety of materials for self-determination within a number of levels of intensity of intervention for student involvement in their educational practices.

Whose future is it anyway? Transition in action: Preparing for IEPs

This project brings the self-determination curriculum Whose future is it anyway? into middle schools and junior highs to teach students about IEP meetings.