BIO

My name is Paige Webb, I am a first year biology major at Florida State University, and I am from Hudson, Florida. My research focuses on enhanced self-determination training for transition aged adults with disabilities.

Enhanced Self-Determination Training for Transition-Aged Adults with Disabilities​

Abstract

Research has found that post secondary-school outcomes in areas of education, employment, and independent living are affected by self determination levels of young adults with disabilities. Given the importance self determination has on people's lives, it should be a priority in the classroom. The three objectives of this project are to examine self-determination instruction on transition-aged adults with disabilities, examine the teachers thoughts and experiences on the self-determination instruction, their knowledge of self determination, and perceptions towards C3 for Me’s significance of self-determination skills learned. This project contains enhanced self-determination instruction using “Who’s Future is it Anyway?” curriculum and C3 for Me cue cards and extension activities. The study consisted of 10 participants and one teacher. The teacher participated in a two-hour professional development session to introduce the curriculum/activities of the curriculum. The participants take the AIR self determination scale as their pre-test. The study then lasts 4 weeks with 2-3 lessons a week, each lasting around 30 minutes to an hour. In the last week of the study, the participants take the AIR self determination scale as their post-test and their scores are compared to the pre-test scores. We found a significant increase in self determination from the pre- to the post-test in the young adults who were given the transition curriculum. This means that the curriculum provided will lead to higher levels of self-determination and overall success in postsecondary school lives in all areas.

Keywords: Self-determination, disabilities, training