Self-Determination: A Case Study of the Needs, Preferences, Goals, and Feelings of Secondary Students With Significant Disabilities in Their Transition to Adulthood

Author

Celeste Sadler, Nova Southeastern University

Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Mary Clisbee

Committee Member

Kathleen Kardaras

Committee Member

Lynne Schrum

Keywords

self-determination, significant intellectual disabilities, severe, moderate, multiple, secondary students, adult independent living, transition, expression, quality of life

Abstract

This applied dissertation was designed to give a voice to students with severe disabilities so that needs, preferences, goals, and feelings could be expressed. Research has shown that there are fewer opportunities to practice self-determination for more seriously impaired students with significant intellectual disabilities. Studies have also pointed out that not all components of self-determination are being offered to these students in general. In addition, few research studies are conducted with input from the students with significant intellectual disabilities themselves. This qualitative case study explored how these students view their present and future and attempts to report the findings regarding their transition to adulthood.

The writer supported student communication of needs, preferences, goals, and feelings through interviews, observations, recordings, technology, memos, and archival records of student produced documents. Students expressed their desires, opinions, and disagreements through self-determination activities regarding the school, home, and community. Self-determination behavior was observed in student input using interview data as a major source. As a result of this study, transition to adult independent living will be more successful and lead to a higher quality of life for these secondary students leaving the public school system.

NSUWorks Citation

Celeste Sadler. 2016. Self-Determination: A Case Study of the Needs, Preferences, Goals, and Feelings of Secondary Students With Significant Disabilities in Their Transition to Adulthood. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. (818)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/fse_etd/818.