Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who attend inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs gain many new and beneficial skills, including independent living, social, and employability skills. Another skill set that may be strengthened by attending an IPSE program is self-determination. There is limited research…

Abstract Social inclusion of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is related to positive mental health and social outcomes; yet, individuals with IDD experience societal barriers that limit opportunities for community participation. Providing opportunities for interactions between individuals with and without IDD…

Youth with developmental disabilities are over-represented in juvenile detention facilities when compared to juveniles without disabilities. In fact, juveniles with disabilities are four times more likely to be found in detention centers as they are to be found in public school settings (Griller Clark et al., 2011; Quinn et al., 2005). Recent…

Behavioral researchers have investigated procedures for identifying preferred items for individuals with varying levels of developmental disabilities. Some researchers in this area have reported difficulties in identifying preferred items for individuals with severe to profound multiple disabilities (SPMD), in part because the individuals may not…

Person-centered planning is a well known and widely used approach to individual program planning in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities. Its purpose is to develop collaborative supports focused on community presence, community participation, positive relationships, respect, and competence. Because there is little research on…

Autonomous functioning, an essential characteristic of self-determined people, has been categorized behaviorally according to everyday activities in Self & Family Care (SFC), Life Management (LM), Recreation/Leisure (RL), and Social/Vocational (SV) skills. The effectiveness of a short-term (8-10 weeks) educational residential program to…

IDEA mandates that all rights accorded to parents transfer to students when they reach the age of majority, unless their competence is questioned. Using case studies, this research examined the concern that when competence is challenged, guardian appointments may occur, thus negatively impacting the self-determination of school-aged young adults…

Federal laws mandate that students with cognitive disabilities receive instruction in academic skills and also support the importance of teaching self-determination. The purpose of this literature review was to synthesize intervention research examining effects of self-determination interventions on academic skills for students with cognitive…

A review of articles on self-determination and self-advocacy published between 1992 and 1999 found that, with systematic instruction, students with a wide range of disabilities can acquire self-determination skills. Researchers have documented changes for students with learning disabilities, mental retardation, emotional disabilities, and…