Federal and state guidelines on when students with disabilities should become more active in their own special education are notoriously vague, often leaving many school districts across the United States to their own interpretations on the appropriateness of when and how to do so. This is especially pertinent for younger students with…

Self-determination is a vital skill for individuals with disabilities and provides significant benefits, like more positive adult outcomes and greater qualities of life. Recreational sports participation is another fundamental aspect of life for individuals with disabilities, as it leads to increased physical activity, enhanced self-esteem, and…

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often face societal barriers to accessing employment due to stigma and discrimination. For people with IDD who have an employment history, little is known about their experiences in accessing employment opportunities. Self-determination behaviors are considered an integral component to…

"Promoting choice" is a defining value guiding Positive Behavior Support (PBS) models for serving individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD). The ability to make independent choices is of paramount importance to self-advocacy and self-determination. Promoting choice is also an essential commitment of…

Background: The US Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires that children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education. However, it does not specifically include the subject of health education. Currently, 30 US states require public schools to teach sexuality education as a part of the health education curriculum, but…

Self-determination and self-advocacy are critical skills for students with disabilities (SWD). Around the world, practitioners and educators express concerns that students transitioning from school to post-high school settings often lack the awareness to discuss their strengths, preferences, and needs. To improve self-determination, a one-year…

Background: Self-determination is a key construct to guarantee the development of skills that allow people with disabilities to acquire control over their lives. However, people with intellectual disabilities may have premature ageing processes that make it difficult to exercise these skills. This study seeks to determine the self-determination…

The problem of this basic qualitative study was that students served in self-contained classes had limited access to the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process due to the rationed participation by parents and teachers (i.e., advocates), which may have been restraining students' ability to prepare for adult living expectations within their…

Students with disabilities attend college at higher rates than they have in previous years; however, students with disabilities do not graduate from college at the same rate as students without disabilities. This mixed method study, guided by the Social Change Model of Leadership theoretical framework, examined the transition of six students with…

For education to be a means of social transformation that is equitable for all, including students with disabilities, it is important for educators to understand and infuse student's multiple social identities and culture into educational planning and preparation for life. Intersectionality theory is a way to understand inequities by acknowledging…

Youth with and at risk for disabilities served in alternative education settings frequently struggle with the writing process, which impedes their ability to communicate ideas and opinions with others. Providing explicit teaching of a writing strategy is necessary for this population of youth. This study examined the effects of self-regulated…

Physical education is the perfect place to learn self-advocacy skills. Through the practice of self-advocacy, children will find and utilize their voices in the classroom and beyond. Self-advocacy teaches students how to speak up, make life decisions, gather information, find those who will support them in their journey, know their rights and…

Background: To combat stereotype threat, several school-based field trials have leveraged self-affirmation theory (Steele & Liu, 1983; Liu & Steele, 1986), wherein affirming one's important beliefs and values can buffer against identity threats. Self-affirmation theory posits that individuals are motivated to maintain a positive overall…

This survey study investigated understanding and use of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), self-advocacy, self-determination, and campus resources by college students with disabilities. Thirty-one students registered with a student disability office at a Midwestern state university completed an anonymous survey. Thirty-two percent of…

Self-determination is a dispositional characteristic, expressed when people act as causal agents in their lives. It develops throughout the life course, starting in early childhood. Causal Agency Theory defines three self-determined actions that lead to self-determination, which are (1) volitional action: including making conscious choices based…