Self-Determination for Students with Disabilities: Views of Parents and Teachers

Abstract

Parents and general and special education teachers of high school students with high-and low-incidence disabilities were surveyed about their views on self-determination. Factor analyses of parent data yielded three factors: student participation in individualized education program (IEP) meetings, teaching self-determination, and students' opportunity to make choices and express interests. Analysis of teacher data yielded two factors: familiarity with self-determination and students' opportunity to learn and practice self-determination. Parents strongly supported participation in IEP meetings and the teaching of self-determination. Teachers slightly agreed that they were familiar with self-determination and that students had the opportunity to learn and apply these skills. Students' instructional program mediated parents' beliefs. Interactions between teacher type, incidence of disability, instructional program, and teaching experience mediated teacher beliefs.