Self-determination in Students with Disabilities

Review of: Self-Determination and the Education of Students with Disabilities

In his article, “Self-Determination and the Education of Students with Disabilities,” Michael Wehmeyer discusses the practice of promoting self-determination in the education of students with disabilities. Wehmeyer defines self-determination as, “a combination of skills, knowledge, and beliefs that enable a person to engage in goal-directed, self-regulated, autonomous behavior. An understanding of one's strengths and limitations, together with a belief of oneself as capable and effective, are essential to self-determination. When acting on the basis of these skills and attitudes, individuals have greater ability to take control of their lives and assume the role of successful adults in our society.”

Wehmeyer believes that promoting self-determination is important with students with disabilities because these students need to feel some control over their lives and making decisions for themselves helps them feel a sense of accomplishment which builds their confidence. Although promoting self-determination was used in education with adolescents with disabilities since the early 1990s, later studies suggested that promoting self-determination should begin at a much younger age. Wehmeyer contends that young students should be provided with the opportunity to make choices and solve problems, and then build on these skills throughout their school years, so that when they become young adults they can take control and make better choices in their own lives.

When providing opportunities for students to make choices Wehmeyer suggests that younger students should have limited options to choose from; older students should go a step further and learn to analyze the options before making a decision. They should also be coached in setting and achieving goals. Junior High and High School students should make decisions that concern their academic goals and goals for their future. According Wehmeyer, research has shown that students with disabilities who were more self determined had better jobs and were more self reliant after graduation than their non self determined peers.

While much can be done in our schools to help students of all ages become self determined, Wehmeyer states that home involvement is imperative. For this reason it is important for teachers to develop partnerships with parents and students and involve family members in educational planning and decision making.

I feel very strongly that we as educators should point out our students’ strengths and emphasize their unique qualities, especially those of our special needs students who are constantly being faced with what people consider their weaknesses. I believe that self-determination is a person’s inner drive, an awareness that they are in charge of their future and that the decisions they make now will affect their success later in life. The earlier a child becomes self-determined the more it will become ingrained in him and become a way of life. The older a person is when they become self-determined, the harder it is to rely on themselves; they will not have as much confidence going into the world as one who became self-determined in elementary school. If a child is not faced with making decisions when he is young, it will be much harder for him to weigh pros and cons and be confident in his decisions later on.

As teachers we always want to help our students succeed, but sometimes the best way to help them is to help them help themselves. Often the easier choice would be to “just do it” for the child, but guiding them to do it themselves, as hard as it may be, is what is best for the student in the long run. We need to recognize the areas in which each student will be able to exert some control and help them set goals that can be accomplished. I also believe that promoting self-determination in students with disabilities at a young age should also lessen the incidence of learned helplessness among these students.

Wehmeyer, Michael. "Self-Determination and the Education of Students with Disabilities." Council for Exceptional Children (2002). Web. 16 Jan. 2010. .