Date of Award

2020

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Organizational Unit

Morgridge College of Education, Teaching and Learning Sciences, Child, Family, and School Psychology

First Advisor

Devadrita Talapatra

Second Advisor

Cynthia Hazel

Third Advisor

Denis Dumas

Fourth Advisor

Maria Riva

Keywords

Intellectual disability, Postsecondary outcomes, School psychology, Self-determination, Transition

Abstract

Despite recent federal legislation outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) reauthorization of 2004 that mandates effective postsecondary transition planning for all students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), students with intellectual disability (ID) continue to experience inequitable postsecondary outcomes, particularly in the areas of postsecondary education (PSE), employment, and independent living (Lipscomb et al., 2017). It has been established that one effective method for improving those outcomes is to develop students’ self-determination abilities, and there is near unanimous agreement within the education community that doing so should be a primary objective during the transition process (Izzo & Lamb, 2002). Students with ID are educated in a variety of settings, from inclusive general education to self-contained classrooms, and as such, self-determination interventions should be provided everywhere that students with ID are found (Izzo & Lamb, 2002). However, educators report a lack of confidence in their ability to provide these interventions because it is rarely emphasized in their professional development (Hagiwara, Shogren, & Leko, 2017). Manuscript One provides an overview of the currently available evidence-based practices in self-determination development, proposes methodology for implementing self-determination intervention across classroom settings, and provides a structure for school psychologists to assist in effective implementation. Manuscript Two reports upon results of a survey distributed to practicing school psychologists regarding the current use of self-determination interventions and the professional development they receive that allows them to be competent consultants for implementation of self-determination interventions.

In combination, these manuscripts examine the importance of self-determination intervention, options for evidence-based self-determination interventions in each classroom setting, and potential school-psychologist-initiated solutions. The findings outlined in this dissertation will help administrators, school psychologists, and interventionists to engage in the systematic implementation of self-determination interventions that can be expected to improve academic outcomes (Lee et al., 2008; Shogren, Palmer, Wehmeyer, Williams-Diehm, & Little, 2012), school climate (Thapa, Cohen, Guffey, & Higgins-D'Alessandro, 2013), and postsecondary outcomes for all students. Ultimately, this dissertation will assist school psychologists to fulfill the ethical responsibility outlined by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) to ensure equal opportunities for each student in their school (NASP, 2010a).

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Pete Gladstone

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

en

File Size

237 p.

Discipline

Educational psychology, Special education, Disability studies

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