The purpose of this study was to identify the possible barriers as to why student involvement in IEP meetings has not been occurring in the past and to subsequently suggest further action and research as to how to potentially combat these barriers so students with disabilities in Suffolk County, Long Island can begin to be offered these kinds of worthwhile opportunities. The districts chosen for participation in this study were representative of the student populations served in public schools throughout Suffolk County, New York. Eight special education teachers were chosen to be interviewed via a qualitative interview methodology. The question asked during the interviews were aimed at determining the current levels of understanding and implementation of self-determination skill instruction to students with disabilities, which subsequently leads to student involvement in their IEP meetings. The results of the study showed that students with disabilities throughout Suffolk County, New York are not exposed to self-determination skills at the regular, nor are they involved in their IEP meetings consistently. This is at odds with the research within the field that suggests that students with disabilities should be active participants in their IEP meeting processes from an early age. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]