1. Jim Martin University of Oklahoma Zarrow Center
Self-Determination
Jim Martin
University of Oklahoma
Zarrow Center

3. Traits Facilitating Post-High School Success
Introduce self to those near you
Develop list of five or more traits that facilitate success
What are these traits?

4. Napoleon Hill
In the 1920 & 30’s was commissioned by Andrew Carnegie to determine why some became successful and other didn’t
He interviewed the most successful people of his era across occupations and endeavors
Formulated 17 Principle of Personal Achievement

5. A Few of Hill’s Concepts
Use Imagination to Create Future Vision
Plan
If the first plan doesn’t work, replace with a second, if it doesn’t work, replace with a third
Mastermind Alliance
Going the Extra Mile
Pleasing Personality
Personal Initiative
Positive Mental Attitude
Control Thoughts (Self-Discipline)

6. Charles Garfield
Psychologist and Professor at University of California in San Francisco
Wrote “Peak Performers: The New Heroes of American Business”
Brings together findings from an 18 year investigation of high achievement in a number of fields

7. Garfield’s Nuggets
Peak Performers believe they will attain their goals
Peak Performers begin with a mission
Engage in meaningful activity to achieve goal
Self-evaluate performance
Build team to help attain goal
Correct course as needed
Adapt to major changes while maintaining momentum

8. More of Garfield’s Nuggets
The most productive people tend to be students their entire lives as they believe they still have so much more to learn
Having a passion for the mission is more important than ability
Great accomplishments are always the result of imagination translated through words and action plans.
The interaction between vision and action steps constitute a peak performer’s working life

9. Garfield’s Predictors of Success
Putting passion before expertise
Drawing on the past
Replay past achievement
Examine failures to find what worked and what did not work
Peak Performers implement innovative tactics to achieve goals
Ignore busy work
Always mentally rehearse actions

10. Application to Special Education

11. Results of Post-School Follow-Up Studies
Numerous post-school follow-up studies in1980’s found
Unemployment
Underemployment
Lack of post-secondary education
High drop-out rates
What can we do better to improve post-school outcomes?

12. Major Impact on SPED Enhanced IDEA Transition Requirements
Research and demonstration projects produced focus on self-determination
Several self-determination effort evolved based upon different theoretical philosophies and foundations
Macro and Micro views of self-determination

13. Macro-Level SD • Right of people to determine their own destiny.
• Empowers groups of people to take control of their own affairs and direct their own futures (Donnelly 2003)
• American Indian Self-Determination Act (Public Law )

14. Self-Determination & People with Disabilities
Right of people to determine their own destiny
Adopted by disability rights advocates and people with disabilities to mean individuals with disabilities have control over their lives (Nirje, 1972)

15. Micro-Self-Determination
Application of self-determination ideas to the individual
Two Broad Schools of thought
Cognitive Psychology
Self-Management and Success Literature

16. Cognitive Psychology & Self-Determination
The volitional actions of students who are self-determined enable them to be the primary causal agent in one’s life and to maintain or improve one’s quality of life
Self-determined actions function to enable a person to be the causal agent in his or her life
(Shogren, Wehmeyer, Palmer, Forber-Pratt, et al., in press)

17. Self-Determined People Will
Make choices and set goals based upon an understanding of their interests, skills, and limits
Express their goals to help build support
Establish a plan to attain their goal
Evaluate their plan
Adjust their goal or plan
Martin & Huber Marshall, 1993

18. SD Makes A Difference
Students who have higher levels of self-determination are more likely to have
More positive adult outcomes
Better in-school academic outcomes
(Konrad, Fowler, Walker, Test, & Wood, 2007; Wehemyer & Schwartz, 1997)

19. IDEA Tells Us That
. . . students learn self-determination and advocacy skills to maximize their empowerment and inclusion into mainstream society
Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 1999 / Rules and Regulations, p

20. Self-Determination Assessment Will Demonstrate Student Behaviors Associated with Self-Determination

21. Google Zarrow Center

22. Free Self-Determination Assessments with Ample Validity Evidence
ARC Self-Determination Scale
AIR Self-Determination Scale
Self-Determination Survey (
ChoiceMaker Assessment
Only curriculum-referenced SD assessment

23. More Self-Determination Assessments with Ample Validity Evidence
Transition Assessment and Goal Generator
On-line
$3 for set of student, teacher, and parent assessments
Field & Hoffman Self-Determination Assessment Battery
$3.25 for student, $3.25 for parent/advisor

24. Sections
Choosing Goals
Education, Employment, and Personal
Expressing Goals
Self-Directed IEP
Taking Action
Goal Attainment

26. CM Curriculum Matrix

27. Express Goals Curriculum Matrix

28. Taking Action Curriculum Matrix

29. Your Turn Complete the ChoiceMaker Assessment
First, Rate Student’s Skill for first item
Does the student DO this? To What Extent?
Second, Rate Opportunity at School for first item
Does your program provide structured time to teach and do you expect students to do this?

30. 1. Began meeting by introducing everyone
Items
Score
1. Began meeting by introducing everyone
2. Stated the purpose of the meeting
3. Reviewed past goals
4. Asked questions if didn’t understand
5. Dealt with differences in opinion
6. Stated needed support
7. Described postsecondary goals
8. Described annual transition goals

31. Questions