Self-Determination:

1. Self-Determination: The Key to a Successful Transition for Everyone Ann Deschamps, Ed.D. TransCen, Inc. adeschamps@transcen.org

2. Overall Objectives • To understand the link between self-determination and success after high school • To understand the why self-advocacy skill instruction is worth infusing into the curriculum • To explore ways to integrate self-advocacy skill instruction (promotion of) into high schools • To collect tools and strategies that will be helpful to promoting and teaching self-advocacy skills

3. Overview • Reminder Activity • Definitions • History, Policy, and Research • Continuum of Everything • Barrier Activity • Overview of Strategies • Power of Theme Songs

4. Reminder Activity • Think for a minute about why you chose to be in the field of special education. • Pair off with somebody near you and share and compare your reasons.

5. A day in the life of a special education teacher

6. Discussing self-determination can be confusing…..

7. What is Self-Determination? • Knowing and doing what is right for oneself • The desire, ability, and practice of directing one’s own life – leads to making informed decisions through reflecting on and building one’s strengths as well as understanding limitations and accommodations.

8. Self-advocacy skills are the foundation necessary to become a self-determined person. Self-determination Make choices Solve problems Ask questions Know strengths and limits Express opinions Set goals

9. Definitions • Self-determination - goal • Self-advocacy – way to reach that goal • High Incidence • Low Incidence

10. History • Evolution of special education • 94-142 EHA • IDEA – transition was added • Categories of disability in IDEA • Culture of special education • Life in school vs. life after school • What are we teaching our students vs. what our students are learning

12. Policy • Federal policy supports self-determination • IDEA • New Rules of Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act • The Americans with Disabilities Act and the ADAAA

13. What Research Says • A study with more than 1,500 successful people from business, science, sports, and the arts revealed that “successful people in any field excel at making decisions, self-managing their behavior, and adapting to changing circumstances.” Garfield (1986) • Wehmeyer and colleagues have found that individuals with higher self-determination skills have better adult outcomes (i.e., Wehmeyer & Palmer, 2003; Wehmeyer & Schwartz, 1997; 1998). • Students with higher self-determination skills did better in inclusive settings (Wehmeyer, Lance, & Bashinski, 2002). • Students in post-secondary education settings reported significant positive impact self-determination skills had on their ability to enter and remain in college (Getzel & Thoma, 2006).

14. What Research Says Young adults with good self-advocacy skills experience: • Enhanced academic performance and more active class participation (Gilberts, Agran, Hughes, and Wehmeyer, 2001) • Improved employment and independent living opportunities (Wehmeyer & Palmer, 2003) • More positive quality of life and reported life satisfaction (McDougall, Evans, & Balding, 2010)

15. More Research • For transition age youth receiving SSI benefits, autonomy and empowerment are positively associated with participation in 2 and 4 year colleges. (Berry, Ward, and Caplan, 2012) • Students need instruction and practice in self-advocacy and IEP participation skills (Test, Fowler, Brewer, & Wood, 2005)

16. Continuum of Everything • Self-knowledge • Self-awareness • Academic knowledge • Independence • IEP Participation • Anything

17. Be prepared!Preparing students for IEP Participation can be daunting.

18. Continuum of IEP Participation • Attending • Answering • Speaking • Questioning • Introducing • Initiating (parts) • Leading with support • Leading independently

19. Barrier Activity • From the list of seven barriers, come to a consensus as to the top 3 for your table • Brainstorm as a group strategies to overcome each of your top 3 • Record your top 3 and a BRIEF summary of the strategies on the flip chart

20. Barriers • Student’s schedule is too busy • Standardized tests and core competency instruction require all my energy and attention • Not the right materials/resources/curriculum • Not enough planning time • Takes too long • Lack of knowledge how to teach these skills • Focus on compliance

21. Overview of Strategies • Models to follow • Curriculum with specific lessons • Tools • Approaches • Advice • Goals

22. Instructional Strategies (Field and Hoffman, 1995) • Teachers are co-learners • Modeling • Cooperative Learning • Experiential Learning • Inclusive instruction • Participation of student’s family and friends • Listening • Team teaching • Appropriate use of humor • Teachable moments

23. You can face the challenges….

24. Power of Theme Songs Rules • Pick one that speaks to you • Make sure it is sending a positive message • Change it when you need to

25. Examples • Let It Go – Frozen • Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield • Running Down a Dream – Tom Petty • Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty • Can You Feel It – The Jacksons • I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor • Simply the Best – Tina Turner • Stronger – Kanye West

26. As you go through the year – remind yourself why you are here

27. Self-Determination: The Key to a Successful Transition for Everyone Part II and III Tools and Strategies for Implementing Self-Advocacy Instruction Ann Deschamps, Ed.D. TransCen, Inc. adeschamps@transcen.org

28. Brainstorm • Over the course of your career, what are some strategies that you have used to teach self-advocacy skills?

29. Using the IEP to Teach Self-Advocacy • Learning about the IEP • Participating in the IEP Process • Participating in the IEP Meeting

30. Continuum of IEP Participation • Attending • Answering • Speaking • Questioning • Introducing • Initiating (parts) • Leading with support • Leading independently

31. Ways for Students to Participate in the IEP Meeting • Begin meeting by stating purpose; • Introduce everyone; • Review past goal and performance; • State your school and transition goals; • Ask questions if you don’t understand; • State the support/accommodations you’ll need; • Summarize goals; • Close meeting by thanking everyone

32. Essential Self-Advocacy Skills Checklist • Understands IEP goals • Contributes to development of IEP goals • Identifies when help is needed • Obtains help when needed • Articulates short and long term goals • Outline steps necessary to reach goals • Identifies potential barriers to goal achievement • Determines accommodations necessary to overcome barrier

33. Essential Self-Advocacy Skills Checklist • Recognizes strengths and weaknesses • Articulates strengths and weaknesses • Understands disability • Explains disability • Knows when to disclose disability • Understand disability’s impact on performance • Identifies compensatory accommodations • Requests accommodations as needed

35. Back to the Future • What kind of Job do you want to have when you are 25? • What kind of training or education would you need after high school to be qualified for this job? • What do you need to accomplish in high school to be qualified for the training and education you will need? • What should you be doing now to get ready for this career path?

36. Interview Activity • Meeting #1: Conduct Self-Advocacy Interview • Meeting #2: Share and discuss purpose of the IEP, focus on goals (plain English) • Meeting #3: Review accommodations on the IEP • Meeting #4: Discuss the IEP meeting • Meeting #5: Talk about strengths, weaknesses, and learning style • Meeting #6: Conduct self-advocacy interview again

37. Disclosure • Why is it important to talk about disclosure? • Disclosure questions – why, when, what, to whom, and how? • Settings: • Workplace • Postsecondary education • Social/community

38. Student Disclosure Tool • Monitors progress in the ability to express the need for assistance or accommodations • Set up to be used by the customer • Progress can be monitored with a service provider • Gives guidance and tips for phrases to use

40. Plan to Teach Self-Advocacy Skills • Goals • Instructional Strategies • Family Involvement

41. Chopper - BHN