Self-Determination: Instructional and Assessment Strategies

"There is not available a more comprehensive book in the area of self-determination."
--Melinda Pierson, Department of Special Education
California State University, Fullerton

"Unique because it provides direction for teaching and supporting self-determined behavior across all age groups and also within the general education classroom and curricula."
--Marianne Mooney, Senior Research Associate
TransCen, Inc., Post-Secondary Learning and Careers

Give students with disabilities powerful tools for success in school and in life

Michael Wehmeyer and Sharon Field present research-proven instructional strategies that empower special needs students at all grade levels to make their own decisions.

Self-Determination offers detailed and current practitioner-oriented approaches in combination with extensive teacher reproducibles--all within the context of inclusion, standards-based reform, and access to the general curriculum. Linked to the IDEA requirement for individualized transition plans, this user-friendly resource assists practitioners in teaching the skills necessary for making decisions about employment, job skills, further schooling, and independent living. Educators will discover how to:

Encourage students to become their own advocates by practicing assertive behaviorUse needs-assessment techniques to determine the level of instruction required for each studentTeach effective choice making, problem solving, and goal settingSupport both families and fellow educators in their efforts to teach self-determination skills

Special education teachers, general educators, and administrators will find this handbook an invaluable guide for helping students establish their own goals and plan for a strong and healthy future