| Self-determination is one of the most essential skills in post-secondary education achievement for students with and without disabilities. Despite the importance of self-determination, research that investigates what self-determination component skills are included in the Individualized Education Programs (IEP) for secondary school students with high-incidence and low-incidence disabilities is lacking. Using document analysis, I examined IEP documents for evidence of goals that incorporate self-determination and transition-related language. Moreover, I investigated how self-determination goals differ for students with high-incidence disabilities as compared to low-incidence disabilities, and how closely IEP goals and objectives adhere to the dominant model of self-determination. In order to better understand the bidirectional influences of self-determination and environmental context in an individual's development, I adopted Bronfenbrenner's Theory of the Bioecological Model of Human Development Framework as the guiding theoretical framework for my study. In this context, I argued that results of this study would contribute to the literature on effective transition planning with respect to IEPs and self-determination. Results indicate that goals and objectives related to self-determination were lacking from the IEPs. |
