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The Right to Make Choices: Supported Decision-Making Comprehensive Toolkit - Disability Rights Texas

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The resources below have been created by the Student-Centered Transitions Network (SCTN) to assist educators and families with implementing quality transition services for students with disabilities. The Texas Transition Guide is available in English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese.

Texas Transition and Employment Guide

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Texas Transition is located in Austin, TX.

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This workbook is designed for youth and adults working with them to learn about disability disclosure and help them make informed decisions about whether or not to disclose their disability and understand by considering how that decision may impact their education, employment, and social lives. Based on the premise that disclosure is a very personal decision to be made by young people themselves, the workbook helps young people think about and practice disclosing their disability.
Download the PDF.

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The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities

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This workbook is designed for youth and adults working with them to learn about disability disclosure and help them make informed decisions about whether or not to disclose their disability and understand by considering how that decision may impact their education, employment, and social lives.

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College & Career Competencies FrameworkOverview

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The College and Career Competency Framework, developed by Drs. Gaumer Erickson and Noonan, supports educators in systematically embedding intrapersonal, interpersonal, and cognitive competencies into course content. In this way, educators support students to develop into career-equipped, lifelong learners who are socially and emotionally engaged.

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As defined by the Texas Probate Code, guardianship is a legal process used to provide protection for adults who are incapacitated. The Probate Code defines an incapacitated person as: "An adult individual who, because of a physical or mental condition, is substantially unable to provide food, clothing, or shelter to himself or herself, to care for the individual's own physical health, or to manage the individual's own financial affairs."

The Arc of Texas and The Arc of the United States believe that the majority of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can manage their own affairs with informal assistance and guidance and do not need a guardian. People with IDD can be supported in many ways to make their own decisions without taking away their rights through a guardianship. Learn more about alternatives to guardianship by reading the documents below. Each of the documents is provided in three formats: For Families, For Self-Advocates, and For Self-Advocates with Dyslexia. In addition, each of these documents are available in English and Spanish.

For more information on alternatives to guardianship, call our offices at 1-800-252-9729.

Paper on Guardianship - Most people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities can manage their own affairs with assistance and guidance from others, such as family and friends. If guardianship is necessary, it should be tailored to the person's needs. Strict monitoring must be in place to protect the best interests and preferences of each person.
Education Decision Making When Your Child Turns 18 Other Helpful Links: Texas Project First
Family Eldercare - Family Eldercare is appointed by the Probate Court to be legal guardian for elders and people with disabilities who have no appropriate family or friends to act in that capacity.

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Alternatives to Guardianship - The Arc of Texas

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As defined by the Texas Probate Code, guardianship is a legal process used to provide protection for adults who are incapacitated. The Probate Code defines an incapacitated person as: "An adult individual who, because of a physical or mental condition, is substantially unable to provide food, clothing, or shelter to himself or herself, to care for the individual's own physical health, or to manage the individual's own financial affairs."

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Ten Sigma's S.T.E.P. Transition program provides a simple solution that can make an immediate impact on the Transition process, for districts, teachers, students, and parents! Here is a little more info about the program:

S.T.E.P. stands for Student Transition Engagement Program.

The STEP program includes a series of tools (documents and activities) to increase student engagement, leadership, and self-advocacy before, during, and after IEP meetings!

The STEP program also improves involvement and communication with parents throughout the Transition process.

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Student Engagement in Transition IEP meetings | Ten Sigma

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Ten Sigma's S.T.E.P. Transition program provides a simple solution that can make an immediate impact on the Transition process, for districts, teachers, students, and parents! Here is a little more info about the program: S.T.E.P. stands for Student Transition Engagement Program.

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What is Self-Determination?

Self determination is believing you can control your own destiny. Self-determination is a combination of attitudes and abilities that lead people to set goals for themselves, and to take the initiative to reach these goals. It is about being in charge, but is not necessarily the same thing as self-sufficiency or independence. It means making your own choices, learning to effectively solve problems, and taking control and responsibility for one's life. Practicing self-determination also means one experiences the consequences of making choices.

Additional Reading

Be Your Own Best Advocate

What does it mean to advocate for yourself? Being your own advocate means that you ask for what you need while respecting the needs of others. For example, if you are at a store and a clerk ignores you, you are able to ask in a polite way to be served. Self-advocacy is asking for what you need in a direct, respectful manner.

Developing Self-Determination Skills

The development of self-determination skills is a process that begins in childhood and continues throughout one's life. Self-determination is important for all people, but it is especially important, and often more difficult to learn, for young people with disabilities. Well-meaning individuals sometimes "protect" children with disabilities by making all their decisions for them. Also, sometimes people assume that people with disabilities can't think for themselves.

Self-determination involves many attitudes and abilities including: self-awareness, assertiveness, creativity, and pride, and problem solving and self-advocacy skills. To take charge of your own life, you must be able to set goals, evaluate options, make choices and then work to achieve your goals.

Since self-determination skills are most effectively learned and developed by practicing them, students with disabilities should be given ample opportunity to use their self-advocacy, decision-making and socialization skills well before they leave high school to prepare themselves for working and living in their community.

Mentoring

Older and more experienced adults with disabilities can play a helpful role in this process not only by serving as role models, but by working actively and directly with youth as mentors. By sharing the experiences and strategies that led to their own successful employment and independence, mentors can help guide youth through a challenging transition period, offer problem-solving advice on issues that parents lack direct experience with (or that youth may be reluctant to discuss openly with their parents), and provide needed encouragement.

Many agencies offer mentoring programs that match youth with an adult mentor. Some specifically focus on youth with disabilities. Investigate what programs may be available in your community by checking with Independent Living Centers for People with disabilities, parent centers in your state, community agencies (such as YMCAs, YWCAs, Boys' Clubs and Girls" Clubs programs), and your state vocational rehabilitation agencies.

Family Support

Families can provide support for their young adults with disabilities in the development of self-determination skills. Parents can help prepare their young adults with disabilities by giving them a growing number of opportunities to make their own decisions. Families should also provide their teenager with opportunities to explore employment, housing options, and community recreation programs in their community by utilizing their own network of relatives and friends, as well as formal service systems. Most importantly, families should prepare themselves to accept their child in his or her new adult role and allow their adult children to take an active role in the decisions that will determine their future _ even if it means allowing them to make mistakes.

Did you find this helpful?

PACER Resources on Self Determination

Other Online Resources on Self Determination

For permission to reprint, please fill out and submit PACER's reprint request form.

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Self Determination - National Parent Center on Transition and Employment

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Self determination is believing you can control your own destiny. Self-determination is a combination of attitudes and abilities that lead people to set goals for themselves, and to take the initiative to reach these goals. It is about being in charge, but is not necessarily the same thing as self-sufficiency or independence.

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Pathways to Self-Determination from Transition TN

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Pathways to Self-Determination from Transition TN

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Welcome to our course on Pathways to Self-Determination! As students move through adolescence and into adulthood, we usually expect them to assume much greater responsibility for managing their own learning, relationships, and behavior. We expect students to become more active in managing their own lives, and to chart their own course for their future. After all, adolescence is a time when youth begin to make important decisions about their future education, careers, and lifestyles. This is a natural part of growing up, a developmental task for any young person. Schools, families and communities play an important role in helping students develop the skills, knowledge, and dispositions they need to do this well.

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Pathways to Self-determination | Transition TN

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Welcome to our course on Pathways to Self-Determination! As students move through adolescence and into adulthood, we usually expect them to assume much greater responsibility for managing their own learning, relationships, and behavior. We expect students to become more active in managing their own lives, and to chart their own course for their future.

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Self-Determination Assessment Tools from Zarrow Center

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Self-Determination Assessment Tools from Zarrow Center

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Documents from I'm Determined (Virginia DoE)

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Documents from I'm Determined (Virginia DoE)

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The I'm Determined project, a state directed project funded by the Virginia Department of Education, focuses on providing direct instruction, models, and opportunities to practice skills associated with self-determined behavior. This project facilitates youth, especially those with disabilities to undertake a measure of control in their lives, helping to set and steer the course rather than remaining the silent passenger.

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Self-Determination for Middle and High School Students from NCSET

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Self-Determination for Middle and High School Students from NCSET

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NCSET Topic on Self-Determination for Middle and High School Students: Introduction

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Self-determination is not an all-or-nothing set of skills. As youth with disabilities mature, they will probably experience different levels of skill and ability with regard to self-determination. Some may desire control over many life decisions, such as where they want to live, what kind of work they want to do, and what types of activities fulfill their recreational needs.

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Self-Determination from Beach Center (KU)

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Self-Determination from Beach Center (KU)

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Many adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities have had limited life opportunities that enabled them to become more self-determined. They have too often attended schools that segregate them and limit opportunities to engage in actions (goal setting, problem solving, self-regulation, etc.) that enhance ones self-determination.

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Self-Determination | University of Kansas

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We are developing an efficient and effective way to measure self-determination for all students between the ages of 13 and 22 years. The Self-Determination Inventory Student and Adult Self-Report versions will measure student self-determination for transition to adulthood for ALL students, to support learning and achievement. Now we are refining the system.

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Fostering Self-Determination Among Children and Youth With Disabilities: Ideas from Parents for Parents

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Fostering Self-Determination Among Children and Youth With Disabilities: Ideas from Parents for Parents

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The term "self-determination" is used to describe a person's ability to direct their own life. A person who is self-determined is believed to have higher chances of succeeding in life. And that is why self-determination is especially important for students, who still have their whole lives ahead of them.

If you were assigned to write an essay on this topic, feel free to contact our team and ask, 'please, write my essay for me'. In this article, we will share with you a self-determination definition and explain what role it plays in your life. Let's dive in!

What Is Self-Determination?

So, what is self-determination? This term is rather hard to define. In a nutshell, self-determination (don't get it confused with national self-determination) is one's strong belief that they can be in charge of their own life. This belief is what drives people to set goals and take actions to reach these goals. Simply put, self-determination is all about taking full control of one's life.

What does having self-determination mean in practice? It means taking control of your life, solving your own problems, making your choices, and, at the same time, taking responsibility for the consequences of these choices.

What Are Self-Determination Life Skills?

Self-determination is a combination of beliefs, skills, and knowledge. There are many components in it. But, the key self determination skills that we can highlight include:

Self-awareness;

Supported decision making;

Self-advocacy;

Problem-solving;

Goal setting.

These are the main components of self-determination, which is why it is believed that putting more time into developing skills like these can benefit students' personal development. Developing these skills is believed to be the key to future success. So, if you lack any of them, don't hesitate to use write my essays for me services to get more time to focus on what really matters.

How to Develop Self-Determination Skills?

As you now know, self-determination is vital for every person. Thus, it is crucial to start developing these skills as early as possible. However, as you can guess, one isn't born with a set of self-determination skills and abilities. These skills are being developed throughout the lifetime.

As was said earlier, some of the main self determination examples of skills include self-awareness, decision making, self-advocacy, problem-solving, and goal setting. Apart from this, there is also pride, assertiveness, and creativity. But, how to develop them?

Each of these skills can only be learned from regular practice. Therefore, to develop them, one must constantly practice setting goals, making choices, evaluating options, thinking outside the box, and working towards achieving their goals.

Many of these skills are being taught to us in schools and colleges. But, to take charge of your own life, you should also practice them yourself.

Approaches for Promoting Self-Determination in Students

Given that self-determination consists of many skills and other components, it is impossible to promote it in students with a single approach. Instead, educators have to use a combination of methods and approaches to help students define self-determination theory and gain all the skills they need to become self-determined themselves.

The first approach widely used by teachers to promote self-determination in students is IEP. IEP or Individualized Education Program is a personalized approach to teaching that puts goals at the core. This program requires teachers to set individual goals for every student, communicate them, and provide learners with all the needed support to help achieve set goals. This approach teaches students to set and achieve goals in their lives outside of school as well.

Another important thing to teach students in the context of self-determination is how to make a life plan. Many schools include life and career planning lessons to help students learn to take control over their lives. As a result, this helps them become more self-determined.

Another effective approach to instill self-determination in students is teaching the needed skills and knowledge directly. The academic program should focus on teaching kids problem solving and decision making. At the same time, there should be a special focus on self-management and goal setting.

In fact, all these things are already included in curriculums. When students do homework, solve multiple-choice problems, or even turn to experts asking, 'please, write essay for me,' - they learn self-determination at every stage of their academic path.

How Instruction in Self-Determination Can Be Supported in Schools?

Everyone has the right to self determination. And, as you now know, everyone needs to have it to ensure success in the workplace and life in general. However, it is impossible to help students acquire self-determination without teaching them what it is and helping them acquire the needed skills. This brings us to the importance of implementing self determination special education in schools.

Though self determination theory education and its examples can already be seen in schools, it is crucial that we support it further. Since it is not a formal type of instruction, it requires us to go the extra mile to let it survive in modern schools.

So, how can we support it? One way to support this form of instruction in schools is by demanding educators to teach students the knowledge and skills they need to become more self-determined.

It is also crucial to set high expectations for students. This simple yet powerful activity can bring plenty of benefits. The idea is simple - teachers have to set high but achievable goals and communicate their expectations to students. In addition, educators have to emphasize every student's uniqueness and strengths to help them meet the high expectations. It can help promote self-determination in students and prepare them for future success.

One more important point for supporting self determination in education is to engage parents in this process. By working with families, teachers can find the best strategies that work for every student. In addition, such collaboration can also help parents recognize the importance of supporting students' development at home.

Finally, to support self-determination instruction in schools, there must be strong counseling. Often, having someone to talk to can really help students to develop confidence and self-direct their lives. So, it is another important element.

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Self-Determination Instruction For Students | DoMyEssay Blog

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Self-determination is what can help us set up every student for future success. Read to learn what it is and how to support its instruction in schools.

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DCDT Fast Facts: Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy

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DCDT Fast Facts: Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy

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Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities

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Supported decision-making is "A process of supporting and accommodating an adult with a disability to enable the adult to make life decisions, including decisions related to where the adult wants to live, the services, supports, and medical care the adult wants to receive, whom the adult wants to live with, and where the adult wants to work, without impeding the self-determination of the adult."

About the Supported Decision-Making Agreement

In a supported decision-making agreement the person chooses someone (called a "supporter") they trust to help them get information they need to make an informed decision, consider their options, understand the risks and communicate their decisions to others. The State does not place any restrictions on who may become a supporter. Typically, the supporter may be a family member, relative or friend. But, the adult with a disability may only enter a supported decision-making agreement voluntarily, without being influenced by others.

The person and the supporter fill out and sign a legally valid supported decision-making agreement form and have it witnessed or notarized, as required by law. There is a Supported Decision-Making Agreement form in the Texas Estates Code. There is also a simplified form featured on this website. Both are legally valid. The form you use does not have to be exactly like these two forms, but it has to have all of the same information. The simplified version on this website was reviewed by Disability Rights Texas, the state's legal protection and advocacy agency.

The agreement does not require attorneys or court filing. It does not allow a supporter to make decisions for the person or act in their place. Both parties keep a copy of the agreement and present it when needed. If they decide to use an attorney, the attorney can keep a copy, too.

The agreement can be created at any time. It can also be ended at any time (A) by the person or their supporter, (B) on a date determined at the beginning of the agreement, or (C) by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services if they find the supporter is abusing, neglecting or exploiting the person being supported.

More Information
Texas Legislature Online Bill: SB 1881
Notes:

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Supported decision-making is "A process of supporting and accommodating an adult with a disability to enable the adult to make life decisions, including decisions related to where the adult wants to live, the services, supports, and medical care the adult wants to receive, whom the adult wants to live with, and where the adult wants to work, without impeding the self-determination of the adult."

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Self-Advocacy: The Basics from National Deaf Center

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Self-Advocacy: The Basics from National Deaf Center

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Self-advocacy is a lifelong endeavor that can never be learned too early or too late in life. Practicing self-advocacy is a critical element of the self-advocacy developmental process, and individuals who do it are better prepared to self-advocate in the future.

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Transfer of Rights Template Request Form

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Transfer of Rights Template Request Form

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Transfer of Rights with TED Contact Info

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Would you like a form to share information about the transfer of rights with information specific to your district? This is an optional template created by Region 13 that can be adapted to include your district/TED information. Check with your special education administrative team and/or legal depar…

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Consent for Disclosure of Confidential Information

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Consent for Disclosure of Confidential Information

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When Consent Is Not Required to Disclose Information

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When Consent Is Not Required to Disclose Information

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Deafverse: Choose Your Future Video Game (NDC)

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Deafverse: Choose Your Future Video Game (NDC)

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Play our interactive online game and:

Navigate real-life challenges.

Develop self-determination skills.

Understand your rights.

About Deafverse: this interactive game supports the development of your self-advocacy skills as you navigate common situations in a variety of settings including community, school, and the workplace. You get to test out responses to situations, challenges, and conflicts that are part of the deaf experience and frequently encountered throughout real life. When you encounter different situations, you will be expected to make your own decisions, understand the impact of these decisions, and learn more about your legal rights.

As deaf youth prepare for life after high school, feelings of anticipation and uncertainty are to be expected. Deafverse is based on choose your own adventure games, which offer a safe environment to apply critical thinking skills while engaging in problem-based learning by testing a variety of responses to challenges and conflicts. This game is designed to strengthen deaf students' self-determination skills.

Deafverse takes place in a parallel universe, taking you on a journey through everyday settings with surprising twists and turns. Each journey unfolds in a World with an overarching, self-contained theme. The game's exciting action, available in English and ASL, will keep players at the edge of their seats.

World 1: Duel of the Bots - Players jump into a typical high school in a small town with familiar character archetypes. A mysterious mechanical friend seeks your help to capture another robot that roams the streets, causing trouble and making life difficult for deaf people. Will you stop the menace and save the town?

(MORE WORLDS COMING SOON!)

Deafverse can be played on computers or mobile devices, and at no cost to players. This game can be used at home, school, transition programs, or vocational rehabilitation settings. Share Deafverse today with the deaf young people you know, with the game's motto in mind: "Choose Your Future".

How can I find my username or password?

Where can I get my certificate of completion?

Something went wrong while playing the game. How can I fix it?

You may try reloading your web browser first. If the problem persists, email us at deafverse@nationaldeafcenter.org with a description of the steps leading to that issue. This version of Deafverse is still in beta and we appreciate any reports you make to us since it will improve the game for you and other players!

When I close the game, can I go back to where I left off, or do I need to start over again?

I have vision loss, can I adjust the settings of the game?

Do you have an native app version of this game?

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Navigate real-life challenges. Develop self-determination skills. Understand your rights. About Deafverse: this interactive game supports the development of your self-advocacy skills as you navigate common situations in a variety of settings including community, school, and the workplace. You get to test out responses to situations, challenges, and conflicts that are part of the deaf experience and frequently encountered throughout real life.

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Hitting The Open Road After High School: How to Choose Your Own Adventure to Success! | NCWD

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When considering the options available to you after high school, you may feel a bit over- whelmed. There are many career paths and educational or training programs out there, and it's okay if you haven't figured them all out yet.

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Dr. Michael Ward has been a leader in the field of self-determination at the federal and state levels since before the 1980's when self-determination became a focal point for research and practice across the country. Not only has he provided leadership at the federal and state levels, but also on a personal level. Dr. Ward is a person with a disability who has experienced self-determination first hand.

According to him (1996, pg.15),

"If disabled people are ever to attain true independence, the acquisition of self-determination skills is critically important!....This means that youth with disabilities must be given opportunities to learn and practice self-determination skills as well as explore their own assertiveness. They must validate who they are and feel good about being a person with a disability..."
People with disabilities are guaranteed certain rights by the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) so that they may participate in society just as those without disabilities. Self-determination skills are necessary for people with disabilities, especially youth, to have in order to achieve a life of their choice.

The purpose of this module is to provide you with a general knowledge of self-determination as well as a framework for providing self-determination instruction to your students. You will be given information about numerous curricula and instructional resources that are free online, or from publishers. Some of these materials have been identified as evidence-based (Test, Fowler, Richter, Mazzotti, White, Walker, Kohler & Kortering, 2009). Finally, for each critical element of self-determination, you will receive instructional strategies and reflect upon your own practice in teaching students students to be more self-determined.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this online training, you will be able to:

Session 1: Transition and IDEA

Define and explain self-determination.

Describe the characteristics of a self-determined person.

Explain the importance of teaching students to be self-determined.

Identify the difference between entitlement programs and eligibility programs and how self-determination assists students move from entitlement to eligibility programs.

Explain some key research findings of students who exhibit self-determined behaviors.

Identify how self-determination is reflected in IDEA.

Session 2: A Model of Self-Determination

Describe the key elements of Hoffman & Field (2005) Model of Self-Determination.

Identify instructional strategies that can be used to address each element of the Hoffman & Field (2005) Model of Self-Determination.

Identify methods to gain family involvement in self-determination instruction.

For each section of the Model of Self-Determination, reflect on current self-determination instruction practices and identify content areas in which instruction and practices should be enhanced.

Practice applying information regarding the Model of Self-Determination and instructional strategies to a case study.

Session 3: Curricula, Resources & Materials

Review examples from self-determination curricula, resources, and materials.

From the curricula and resources provided, identify which ones may assist in addressing the practices that need to be enhanced.

Identify next steps in changing instructional practices related to self-determination.

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The Essentials of Self-Determination Introduction | Transition Coalition

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WORK ON THIS MODULE Dr. Michael Ward has been a leader in the field of self-determination at the federal and state levels since before the 1980's when self-determination became a focal point for research and practice across the country. Not only has he provided leadership at the federal and sta

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The transition planning series is your go-to resource to understand the key elements of planning for adulthood for students with disabilities. All educators: transition designees (TEDs), teachers, administrators, related service providers, evaluation specialists, and others can use this resource to apply these key el

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Guardianship and Alternatives (Texas Project FIRST)

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Guardianship and Alternatives (Texas Project FIRST)

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Guardianship and Alternatives to Guardianship | Texas Project FIRST

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As students move into high school, one of the topics that school districts will discuss with parents is guardianship. This discussion typically takes place in an ARD meeting and occurs during transition planning. A school district must inform the parents and the student of the "transfer of parental rights" concerning the ARD process.

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Legal Options for Age 18 and Beyond (Navigate Life TX)

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Legal Options for Age 18 and Beyond (Navigate Life TX)

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Legal Options for Age 18 and Beyond | Navigate Life Texas

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Navigate Life Texas: Resources for kids with disabilities and special needs

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Making My Own Choices Easy to Follow Guide (Disability Rights Texas)

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Making My Own Choices Easy to Follow Guide (Disability Rights Texas)

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Making My Own Choices: An Easy-to-Follow Guide on Supported Decision-Making Agreements - Disability Rights Texas

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ESTATES CODE CHAPTER 1357. SUPPORTED DECISION-MAKING AGREEMENT ACT

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(3) "Supported decision-making" means a process of supporting and accommodating an adult with a disability to enable the adult to make life decisions, including decisions related to where the adult wants to live, the services, supports, and medical care the adult wants to receive, whom the adult wants to live with, and where the adult wants to work, without impeding the self-determination of the adult.

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Self-Determination (American Association on I/DD) 

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Self-Determination (American Association on I/DD) 

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Check out the Supports Intensity Scale for a useful transition assessment!

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People with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities[i] (IDD) have the same right to, and responsibilities that accompany, self-determination as everyone else. They are entitled to opportunities, respectful support, and the authority to exert control in their lives, to direct their services, and to act on their own behalf.
Issue
Historically, many individuals with IDD have been denied their right to self-determination. They have not had the opportunity or the supports to make choices and decisions about important aspects of their lives. Instead, they have often been overprotected and involuntarily segregated, with others making decisions about key elements of their lives. For many, the absence of the dignity of risk and opportunities to make choices has impeded people with IDD from exercising their right of self-determination and has inhibited their ability to become contributing, valued, and respected members of their communities, living lives of their own choosing.
Position
People with IDD have the same right to self-determination as all people and are entitled to the freedom, authority, and supports to exercise control over their lives. People with IDD must understand that they can direct and influence circumstances that are important to them. This right to self-determination exists regardless of guardianship status.

Family members, friends, and other allies play a critical role in promoting self-determination by providing supports and working collaboratively to achieve the individual's goals. Families, friends, and other allies should understand, recognize, and promote the rights and responsibilities of self-determination and respect the limitations on their own authority. Service providers, educators, and substitute decision-makers must recognize and respect the individual's right to self-determination and the limitations on their authority.

To this end, people with IDD must be able:

In their personal lives to:

lead in decision-making and problem-solving about all aspects of their lives and have the supports they want to make decisions;

advocate for themselves with the assurance that their desires, interests, and preferences will be respected and honored;

choose their own supporters, friends, and allies;

direct their own supports and services and allocate available resources;

hire, train, manage, and fire their own staff;

acquire additional skills to assist in determining the course of their lives;

use adaptive communications devices and other assistive technology; and

take risks to achieve the lives they desire.

In their community lives to:

participate fully and meaningfully in the community;

receive the necessary supports and assistance to vote and exercise other rights as citizens;

become valued members and leaders of the community;

serve as active members and leaders of community boards, advisory councils, and other organizations;

take leadership roles in setting the policy direction for the self-determination movement; and

have representation and meaningful involvement in policy-making at the federal, state, and local levels.

Recognition of the right to self-determination must be a priority. The principles of self-determination and opportunities to promote self-determination must be incorporated into conferences, publications, advocacy, training, services, policies, and research in the IDD community.

Laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and funding systems should be regularly reviewed and revised to remove barriers and to promote self-determination. People with IDD must be involved in this process at all levels.

Adopted:

American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Board of Directors
February 14, 2018

The Arc of the United States
Board of Directors
pending

Chapters of The Arc
pending

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People with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities[i] (IDD) have the same right to, and responsibilities that accompany, self-determination as everyone else. They are entitled to opportunities, respectful support, and the authority to exert control in their lives, to direct their services, and to act on their own behalf.

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Funding and Services for adults with disabilities (Navigate Life TX)

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Funding and Services for adults with disabilities (Navigate Life TX)

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Funding and Services | Navigate Life Texas

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Navigate Life Texas: Resources for kids with disabilities and special needs

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See the tabs for Students/Families/Educators for toolkits and other resources related to student-led ARDs

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Lauren Fry is the Garrett Center Senior Intern for Fall 2017. She is a senior in the College of Fine Arts in Mass Communications studying PR/Advertising, with a minor in Community Leadership. Lauren has spent her whole life working with people with disabilities and has had three internships in the disability advocacy field.

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webinar presentation

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District of Columbia Secondary Transition Guide

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Student-led IEPs reflect practices that support active student participation in IEP development and processes in which students take a leadership role in making decisions about their future. Throughout the IEP process, IEP team members (including the student) assess student strengths and needs and develop goals.

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Meredith and Me: Article by Sarah Barnes about Guardianship Process (Austin American Statesman)

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Meredith and Me: Article by Sarah Barnes about Guardianship Process (Austin American Statesman)

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It was about as subtle as the first clap of thunder in a Texas storm.

I had taken Meredith to get some routine ultrasounds, and I had explained that it would not hurt and that she might see some funny pictures on a monitor. She understood, though - she was still asking questions in the waiting room.

Once we were called back, I picked up Meredith's backpack and put my arm around her and we followed the assistant, who turned around when we got to the door and delivered this jolt.

"You can't go in with her," the technician told me.

"What? Why on earth not?"

"She's over 18. She's an adult."

"But she won't go in there without me," I pleaded. Meredith has intellectual disabilities because of a rare congenital brain difference called partial agenesis of the corpus callosum. This means the bridge between the two hemispheres did not fully form and, as a result, Meredith has no way to get information from one hemisphere to the other, which is crucial for social, behavioral and cognitive processing.

"If she says it is OK, you can go with her."

"Meredith," I said in a voice filled with unhelpful desperation. "Can Mom go in with you?"

I waited for an answer. Everyone waited. After a full minute and some more mother explanation, she said yes in her tiny, worried voice.

It was not a great start to this appointment. Then, a few weeks later, Meredith needed to get a shot. She refused, naturally, and I was not qualified to challenge her decision. She finally relented when I told her she might get sick without it.

I knew Meredith was an adult, but I came away from the two experiences quite bruised. How was it possible I had been to hundreds of doctors appointments and therapy appointments with Meredith, and now, after a lousy piece of birthday cake, I was told to stand on the sidelines? I can tell a doctor the quirks of my daughter's every muscle, whether an experience is likely to be remembered or forgotten in 10 minutes by Meredith and how many years it took to learn to buckle her seat belt. But I cannot hold her hand during an ultrasound unless she says it is OK.

Meredith is moving into her own, as we like to say. She can order at restaurants sometimes and decide on outfits to wear - an unapologetic nod to her free expression. She really doesn't understand money, but a job sounds interesting to her. Medical decisions, obviously, hold more gravitas, and her inability to make decisions could get all of us in a lot of trouble.

All this made it clear that my husband, Jim, and I would need to consider guardianship.

Guardianship. It brought up images of a courtroom and an unwilling "ward" and all those things you hear about but really don't know about. There were many different ways to help Meredith, including giving Jim and me "power of attorney" and other less restrictive legal control. But none of those options really gave us full authority in a variety of situations where Meredith would show poor or no judgment on how to proceed.

We decided after talking about it with family and our attorney Pamela Parker that we would file for full guardianship. Meredith would lose many rights, including the right to vote, manage her money, drive a car and take marital vows. It doesn't say she can't fall in love or learn how much money is adequate for lunch. It doesn't say she can't have a job or can never leave our side. She doesn't have to live with us. And frankly, my little Cleopatra has never seen the need for driving.

The first step was to file, and then the court assigned us an ad litem, a legal name for an attorney who represents Meredith's best interest. Part of his duty in representing Meredith was to visit our home. As he sat on our couch facing us, he asked Meredith who she wanted to take care of her, and she pointed to me.

The meeting was mercifully short and did not include a tour of our home or the need to check and see if we had proper fire extinguishers on both floors. Huh? No, seriously, a friend told us we might be asked about the extinguishers. I vacuumed, too. There is nothing more bizarre than to be put in the position of proving you - the parents - are the most qualified for the job.

Apparently we passed muster, because a hearing date was scheduled.

The court date came, and Jim and I both dressed up to show proper respect for Judge Guy Herman's courtroom. We stood nervously outside his courtroom with Meredith, and we were both grateful when the judge stopped by to meet Meredith and explain that Associate Judge Dan Prashner would be handling that day's proceedings.

Once we were called into the courtroom, Meredith was openly referred to as a "ward." She and her attorney were separated from us by a tiny gap between two desks, one where she sat with her ad litem and the other where Jim and I sat with our attorney.

The room felt very official, and the voices seemed to reverberate as each attorney made a case for guardianship or whether guardianship was in the best interest of Meredith. The word "incapacitated" was used to describe my daughter more than twice, but I knew it was just a legal term. I was surprised at how much it bothered me, though.

Early in the proceedings, which took less than 10 minutes, Jim and I were individually asked the same three questions.

"Do you owe Meredith any money?"

"Are you involved in any litigation with Meredith?"

"Are you qualified and not disqualified from being appointed guardian?"

The answers - if you want to turn to the back of the book - are no, no and yes.

I was really hoping Meredith would not interrupt and insist we did owe her money because sometimes in a moment of memory shuffling, Meredith's finds the need to ask right now. She remained quiet.

After we were all done, we thanked the judge, and I gave Meredith a hug and said, "Good job."

The judge stood up and, as if on cue, Meredith said loudly while looking at her dad, "CAN I ASK SOME QUESTIONS, JIM?" Everyone laughed.

And so the first big legal decision was not a battle at all, but rather a testament to two parents who will have a little girl forever. All we can do is love Meredith as we always have, knowing we have a little more authority on paper if she needs it. Meredith gains more independence every day, and it will be our privilege to watch her share it with us.

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Creating guardianship when childhood protections end for daughter

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It was about as subtle as the first clap of thunder in a Texas storm. I had taken Meredith to get some routine ultrasounds, and I had explained that it would not hurt and that she might see some funny pictures on a monitor.

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Poster with elements of self determination

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I'm Determined

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NCLD

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Secondary Transition Guidance

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Considerations for students with sensory and intellectual disabilities

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Resources for Self Determination

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Creating More Self-Determined Lives - 2BSD: To Be Self-Determined

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creating more Self-determined lives Learn More Trending News Creating Specialized Dental Resources for Students with Disabilities Pace University Launches Self-Determination Support A Conversation with Greg Scott, Founder of Soundprint What is Self-Determination People who are self-determined know w…

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Home

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Tips for Families and Professionals

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Tool for Exploring Decision-Making Supports

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Tool for Exploring Decision-Making Supports

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From Charting the LifeCourse: www.lifecoursetools.com

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Consider the Alternatives: Decision-Making Options for Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

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Consider the Alternatives: Decision-Making Options for Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

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Think College

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Helpful video from IIDC at Indiana University

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Transitioning from Adolescence: Alternatives to Guardianship

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Least Restrictive Approaches to Supporting Individuals as Decision-Makers

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Least Restrictive Approaches to Supporting Individuals as Decision-Makers

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Rural Institute

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Consider the Alternatives: Brief on Guardianship Alternatives

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Consider the Alternatives: Brief on Guardianship Alternatives

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Think College and PACER Center

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Tiered approach includes many self determination skills

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Promoting Self-Determination in Youth with Disabilities: Tips for Families and Professionals

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Promoting Self-Determination in Youth with Disabilities: Tips for Families and Professionals

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List of skills and activities from NCSET

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Improving Secondary Education and Transition Services through Research

April 2003 * Vol. 2, Issue 1

Self-Determination: Supporting Successful Transition
By Christine D. Bremer, Mera Kachgal, and Kris Schoeller
Introduction

Self-determination is a concept reflecting the belief that all individuals have the right to direct their own lives. Students who have self-determination skills have a stronger chance of being successful in making the transition to adulthood, including employment and independence (Wehmeyer & Schwartz, 1997). Starting with the 1990 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (P.L. 101-476), transition services must be based on student needs and take into account student interests and preferences. To accomplish this goal, students must be prepared to participate in planning for their future. Several curricula have been developed to address the need for self-determination skills among adolescents, including the skills needed to take control of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. Selected curricula are identified and described at the end of this brief.

What is Self-Determination?

Self-determination "encompasses concepts such as free will, civil and human rights, freedom of choice, independence, personal agency, self-direction, and individual responsibility" (University of Illinois at Chicago National Research & Training Center, 2002). Self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000; Ryan & Deci, 2000) is based on the assumption that people have inborn tendencies to grow and develop psychologically, to strive to master challenges in the environment, and to integrate experience into self-concept. This theory holds that these human tendencies are fully expressed only within a supportive social context. That is, self-determination is not achieved simply because an individual has certain requisite knowledge and skills; it is also important that key people and institutions in the person's life provide a context conducive to self-determination. Abery and Stancliffe (1996) have noted that even when youth have excellent self-determination skills, they can be thwarted in their efforts to become self-determined by people and institutions that present barriers or fail to provide needed supports.

Self-determination "refers to the attitudes and abilities required to act as the primary causal agent in one's life and to make choices regarding one's actions free from undue external influence or interference" (Wehmeyer, 1992, p. 305). A person's actions are self-determined if the person acts autonomously, regulates his or her own behavior, initiates and responds to events in a manner indicating psychological empowerment, and behaves in a manner that is self-realizing. That is, the person acts in ways that make positive use of knowledge and understanding about his or her own characteristics, strengths, and limitations (Wehmeyer, Kelchner, & Richards, 1996). A self-determined person is one who sets goals, makes decisions, sees options, solves problems, speaks up for himself or herself, understands what supports are needed for success, and knows how to evaluate outcomes (Martin & Marshall, 1996).

How is Self-Determination Learned?

The capabilities needed to become self-determined are most effectively learned through real-world experience, which inherently involves taking risks, making mistakes, and reflecting on outcomes. These experiences help a young person test his or her strengths and limitations and identify appropriate short- and long-term goals. In addition to real-world experience, youth benefit from open, supportive acknowledgement and discussion of their disability. Too often families, teachers, and other well-intentioned people protect youth with disabilities from making mistakes and avoid discussing the details and potential ramifications of the youth's disability. Instead, they focus on the positive and steer the youth away from many experiences where there is a potential for failure. However, in order to direct their own futures, youth need to know themselves and understand how their disability might affect academic learning, relationships, employment, participation in their communities, and need for supports With this knowledge, they are better positioned to develop plans, make decisions, and learn from experience. There can be a fine line, however, between experiencing the real world and losing one's sense of personal empowerment. As Wehmeyer and Kelchner (1996) note:

Failure experiences are only learning experiences if they are mitigated. That is, students only learn from failure when they have the opportunity to try the experience again with a different strategy or level of intensity and succeed...It is quite possible that the school experiences of students with cognitive disabilities contain a unique mix of overprotection and failure experiences that contribute to external perceptions of control. (p. 26)

Supporting a young person in becoming self-determined is not about simply removing limits and structure. It is, rather, about providing opportunities so a young person can make meaningful decisions about his or her own future. For families, teachers, and other adults, supporting self-determination requires being open to new possibilities and taking seriously youths' dreams for the future.

Research on Self-Determination

Research has supported the view that self-determination in high school is related to positive transition outcomes. Wehmeyer and Schwartz (1997) conducted a study in which they followed up on a group of students who had graduated from high school. The study included 80 students ages 17 to 22 with mental retardation or learning disabilities. Self-determination data were collected prior to their high school exit, using a self-report measure called The Arc's Self-Determination Scale (Wehmeyer & Kelchner, 1995), a 72-item self-report measure that includes a score for global self-determination and subscales for individual autonomy, self-regulation, psychological empowerment, and self-realization. Adult outcomes for the students were assessed using a scale completed by parents.

Nearly one year after graduation, findings showed that students whose scores in high school indicated a higher level of self-determination were more likely to have experienced a greater number of positive adult outcomes, including a higher likelihood of being employed and earning more per hour than those who were not self-determined (Wehmeyer & Schwartz, 1997, p. 245). The study showed a "consistent trend characterized by self-determined youth doing better than their peers one year out of school. Members of the high self-determination group were more likely to have expressed a preference to live outside the family home, have a savings or checking account, and be employed for pay" (Wehmeyer & Schwartz, 1997, p. 253).

Self-Determination and the Individualized Education Program

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) supports greater self-determination on the part of students with disabilities by mandating their involvement in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. One means of fostering self-determination is to encourage students to lead their IEP meetings whenever possible. This makes the program their own, and increases the likelihood that it will be carried out. Resources are available to help with this process (National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities, 2002a, 2002b).

Self-Determination Curricula

Dozens of curricula have been developed to enhance self-determination for students with disabilities. Wood, Test, Browder, Algozzine, and Karvonen (2000) developed a summary of available self-determination curricula, indicating the audience for each, the skills taught, the cost of the curriculum, and whether the curriculum has been field-tested. This document is available online at http://www.uncc.edu/sdsp/sd_curricula.asp. A list of readily available curricula that have been field-tested and address a range of needs is included in the Resources section of this Brief.

Conclusion

Self-determination helps youth with disabilities achieve positive adult outcomes. Several curricula are available to help students learn self-determination skills, and to help families support youth. Beyond youth and their families, others such as teachers, employers, and institutions also need to be committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which self-determination can take place. The result will be a measurable increase in self-sufficiency and, perhaps even more importantly, greater sense of purpose and satisfaction in adulthood.

Promote Choice Making

Identify strengths, interests, and learning styles;

Provide choices about clothing, social activities, family events, and methods of learning new information;

Hold high expectations for youth;

Teach youth about their disability;

Involve children and youth in self-determination/self advocacy; opportunities in school, home, and community;

Prepare children and youth for school meetings;

Speak directly to children and youth;

Involve children and youth in educational, medical, and family decisions;

Allow for mistakes and natural consequences;

Listen often to children and youth.

Promote exploration of the world every day;

Use personal, tactile, visual, and auditory methods for exploration;

Identify young adult mentors with similar disabilities;

Talk about future jobs, hobbies, and family lifestyles;

Develop personal collages/scrap books based on interests and goals;

Involve children and youth in service learning (4H, AmeriCorps, local volunteering).

Promote Reasonable Risk Taking

Make choice maps listing risks, benefits, and consequences of choice;

Build safety nets through family members, friends, schools, and others;

Develop skills in problem solving;

Develop skills in evaluating consequences.

Encourage Problem Solving

Teach problem solving skills;

Allow ownership of challenges and problems;

Accept problems as part of healthy development;

Hold family meetings to identify problems at home and in the community;

Hold class meetings to identify problems in school;

Allow children and youth to develop a list of self-identified consequences.

Promote Self Advocacy

Encourage communication and self-representation;

Praise all efforts of assertiveness and problem solving;

Develop opportunities at home and in school for self-advocacy;

Provide opportunities for leadership roles at home and in school;

Encourage self-advocates to speak in class;

Teach about appropriate accommodation needs;

Practice ways to disclose disability and accommodation needs;

Create opportunities to speak about the disability in school, home, church, business and community.

Create a sense of belonging within schools and communities;

Provide experiences for children and youth to use their talents;

Provide opportunities to youth for contributing to their families, schools, and communities;

Provide opportunities for individuality and independence;

Identify caring adult mentors at home, school, church, or in the community;

Model a sense of self-esteem and self-confidence.

Develop Goal Setting and Planning

Teach children and youth family values, priorities, and goals;

Make posters that reflect values and are age-appropriate;

Define what a goal is and demonstrate the steps to reach a goal;

Make a road map to mark the short-term identifiers as they work toward a goal;

Support children and youth in developing values and goals;

Discuss family history and culture--make a family tree;

Be flexible in supporting youth to reach their goals; some days they may need much motivation and help; other days they may want to try alone.

Develop a process that is directed by youth for self-identity: Who are you? What do you want? What are your challenges and barriers? What supports do you need?

Direct children and youth to write an autobiography;

Talk about the youth's disability;

Talk about the youth's abilities;

Involve children and youth in their IEP;

Use good learning style inventories and transition assessments;

Identify and utilize support systems for all people.

References

Abery, B. & Stancliffe, R. (1996). The ecology of self-determination. In D. J. Sands & M. L. Wehmeyer (Eds.), Self-determination across the life span: Independence and choice for people with disabilities (pp.111-146). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York: Plenum.

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 227-268.

Martin, J. E., & Marshall, L. H. (1996). Infusing self-determination instruction into the IEP and transition process. In D. J. Sands & M. L. Wehmeyer (Eds.), Self-determination across the lifespan: Independence and choice for people with disabilities (pp. 215-236). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (2002a). A student's guide to the IEP. Booklet #ST1. (2nd ed.). Retrieved July 22, 2002, from http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/stuguide/st1book.htm

National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (2002b). Technical Assistance Guide: Helping students develop their IEPs. Booklet #TA2 (2nd ed.). Retrieved July 22, 2002, from http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/stuguide/ta2book.htm

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55, 68-78.

University of Illinois at Chicago National Research & Training Center (2002). Self-determination framework for people with psychiatric disabilities. Chicago, IL: Author. Retrieved July 18, 2002, from http://www.psych.uic.edu/UICNRTC/sdframework.pdf

Wehmeyer, M. L. (1992). Self-determination and the education of students with mental retardation. Education and Training in Mental Retardation, 27, 302-314.

Wehmeyer, M. L., & Kelchner, K. (1995). The Arc's self-determination scale. Arlington, TX: The Arc.

Wehmeyer, M. L., & Kelchner, K. (1996). Perceptions of classroom environment, locus of control and academic attributions of adolescents with and without cognitive disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals 19(1), 15-29.

Wehmeyer, M. L., Kelchner, K., & Richards, S. (1996). Essential characteristics of self-determined behavior in individuals with mental retardation. American Journal on Mental Retardation 100(6), 632-642.

Wehmeyer, M., & Schwartz, M. (1997). Self-determination and positive adult outcomes: A follow-up study of youth with mental retardation or learning disabilities. Exceptional Children, 63(2), 245-255.

Wood. W. M., Test, D. W., Browder, D. M., Algozzine, B., & Karvonen, M. (2000). A summary of self-determination curricula and components. Retrieved July 22, 2002, from http://www.uncc.edu/sdsp/sd_curricula.asp

Resources: Curricula

A Teacher's Guide to Implementing the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction: Adolescent Version (Authors: M. Wehmeyer, M. Agran, S. Palmer, D. Mithaug, & C. Blanchard)
For further information: The Arc of the United States, 500 E. Border Street, S-300 Arlington, TX 76010. Phone: 800-433-5255.

Whose Future is it, Anyway? A Student Directed Transition Process (Authors: M. Wehmeyer & M. Lawrence)
This curriculum is designed for middle school and high school age students with mild to moderate intellectual, developmental, or learning disabilities. For further information: The National Publications Desk, 2904 Valleyview Drive, Grapevine, TX 76051. Phone: 888-368-8009. Web: http://www.thearcpub.com

Resources: Web Site

Further Reading:

Field, S., Martin, J., Miller, B., Ward, M, & Wehmeyer, M. (1997). Practical guide for teaching self-determination. Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.

Mithaug, D., Wehmeyer, M., Agran, M., Martin, J., & Palmer, S. (1998). The Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction: Engaging students to solve their learning problems. In M. L. Wehmeyer & D. J. Sands (Eds.). Making it happen: Student involvement in education planning, decision making and instruction (pp. 299-328). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Sands, D. J., & Wehmeyer, M. L. (Eds.). (1996). Self-determination across the life span: Independence and choice for people with disabilities. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Authors Christine D. Bremer, Mera Kachgal, and Kris Schoeller are with NCSET.

There are no copyright restrictions on this document. However, please cite and credit the source when copying all or part of this material.

This report was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, (Cooperative Agreement No. H326J000005). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, and no official endorsement by the Department should be inferred.

This publication is available in an alternate format upon request. To request an alternate format or additional copies, contact NCSET at 612.624.2097.

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Publication of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition

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Improving Secondary Education and Transition Services through Research April 2003 * Vol. 2, Issue 1 By Christine D. Bremer, Mera Kachgal, and Kris Schoeller Self-determination is a concept reflecting the belief that all individuals have the right to direct their own lives.