A content and methodological review of the literature of 25 self-advocacy intervention studies was conducted. First, each article was analyzed in terms of purpose, participants, design, dependent variable(s), independent variable(s), and results. Second, each manuscript was reviewed in terms of the quality indicators for single subject (n = 11), group experimental (n = 11), or qualitative (n = 3) studies. Our findings (a) provide preliminary evidence that individuals of varying ages and disabilities can learn self-advocacy skills using both researcher-developed interventions and published curricula, and (b) indicate the need for increasing methodological rigor in implementing and reporting self-advocacy intervention studies. Results are discussed in terms of implications for research and instruction.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
References marked with an asterisk included in descriptive and methodological review.
2.
AberyB. (1994). A conceptual framework for enhancing self-determination. In HaydenM.AberyB. (Eds.), Challenges for a service system in transition. (pp. 345–380). Baltimore: Brookes.
3.
AberyB.EggebeenA. (1992). The self-determination skills evaluation scale. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Institute on Community Integration.
4.
AberyB.RudrudL.ArndtK.SchaubenL.EggebeenA. (1995). Evaluating a multicomponent program for enhancing the self-determination of youth with disabilities. Intervention in School and Clinic, 30, 170–177.
5.
Advocating Change Together. (2002). Youth leadership development training. Unpublished grant proposal. St. Paul, MN: Author.
6.
AgranM.SnowK.SwanerJ. (1999). Teacher perceptions of self-determination: Benefits, characteristics, strategies. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 34, 293–301.
7.
AlgozzineB.BrowderD.KarvonenM.TestD.WoodW. (2001). Effects of interventions to promote self-determination for individuals with disabilities. Review of Edcuational Research, 71, 219–277.
8.
AllenS.SmithA.TestD.FlowersC.WoodW. (2001). The effects of “Self-Directed” IEP on student participation in IEP meetings. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 24, 107–120.
9.
AuneE. (1991). A transition model for postsecondary-bound students with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities and Research, 6, 177–187.
10.
BalcazarF.FawcettS.SeekinsT. (1991). Teaching people with disabilities to recruit help to attain personal goals. Rehabilitation Psychology, 36, 31–41.
11.
BrantlingerE.JimenezR.KlingnerJ.PugachM.RichardsonV. (2005). Qualitative studies in special education. Exceptional Children, 71, 195–207.
12.
BregmanS. (1984). Assertiveness training for mentally retarded adults. Mental Retardation, 22, 12–16.
13.
BrinckerhoffL. C. (1993). Self-advocacy: A critical skill for college students with learning disabilities. Family Community Health, 16 (3), 23–33.
14.
BrowderD. M.WoodW. M.TestD. W.KarvonenM.AlgozzineB. (2001). Reviewing resources on self-determination: A map for teachers. Remedial and Special Education, 22, 233–244.
15.
DurlakC.RoseE.BursuckW. (1994). Preparing high school students with learning disabilities for the transition to postsecondary education: Teaching the skills of self-determination. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 27, 51–60.
16.
EisenmanL.TascioneL. (2002). “How come nobody told me?” Fostering self-realization through a high school English curriculum. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 17, 35–46.
17.
FieldS. (1996). Self-determination instructional strategies for youth with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 29, 40–52.
18.
FieldS.MartinJ.MillerR.WardM.WehmeyerM. (1998). A practical guide for teaching self-determination. Reston, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.
19.
FoxxR.FawG.TaylorS.DavisP.FuliaR. (1993). “Would I be able to …?” Teaching clients to assess the availability of their community living style preferences. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 98, 235–248.
20.
GerstenR.FuchsL.ComptonD.CoyneM.GreenwoodC.InnocentiM. S. (2005). Quality indicators for group experimental and quasi-experimental research. Exceptional Children, 71, 149–164.
21.
HammerM. R. (2004). Using the Self-Advocacy Strategy to increase student participation in IEP conferences. Intervention in School and Clinic, 39, 295–300.
22.
HornerR. H.CarrE. G.HalleJ.McGeeG.OdomS.WoleryM. (2005). The use of single subject research to identify evidence-based practice in special education. Exceptional Children, 71, 149–164.
23.
IzzoM.LambP. (2002). Self-determination and career development: Skills for successful transitions to postsecondary education and employment. Manuscript submitted for publication.
24.
KalyanpurM.HarryB. (1999). Culture in special education: Building reciprocal family-professional relationships. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
25.
LancasterP.LancasterS. (2003). The self-advocacy strategy [CD-ROM]. Lawrence, KS: Edge Enterprises.
26.
LancasterP.SchumakerJ.DeshlerD. (2002). The development and validation of an interactive hypermedia program for teaching a self-advocacy strategy to students with disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 25, 277–302.
27.
MartinJ. E.MarshallL. H. (1995). Choicemaker: A comprehensive self-determination transition program. Intervention in School and Clinic, 30, 147–156.
MasonC.FieldS.SawilowskyS. (2004). Implementation of self-determination activities and student participation in IEPs. Exceptional Children, 70, 441–451.
30.
MasonC. Y.McGahee-KovacM.JohnsonL.StillermanS. (2002). Implementing student-led IEPs: Student participation and student and teacher reactions. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 25, 171–192.
31.
McGaheeM.MasonC.WallaceT.JonesB. (2001). Student-led IEPs: A guide for student involvement. Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.
32.
MerchantD.GajarA. (1997). A review of the literature on self-advocacy components in transition programs for students with learning disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 8, 223–231.
33.
NezuC.NezuA.AreanP. (1991). Assertiveness and problem-solving training for mildly mentally retarded persons with dual diagnoses. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 12, 371–386.
34.
PhillipsP. (1990). A self-advocacy plan for high school students with learning disabilities: A comparative case analysis of students', teachers', and parents' perceptions of program effects. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 28, 466–471.
35.
PowersL.TurnerA.WestwoodD.MatuszewskiJ.WilsonR.PhillipsA. (2001). TAKE CHARGE for the future: A controlled field-test of model to promote students' involvement in transition planning. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 24, 89–104.
36.
PowersL. E. (1998). Take charge for the future. Portland, OR: Oregon Health Sciences University.
37.
RoesslerR. T.BrownP. L.RumrillP. D. (1998). Self-advocacy training: Preparing students with disabilities to request classroom accommodations. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 13 (3), 20–31.
38.
RoffmanA. J.HerzogJ. E.Wershba-GershonP. M. (1994). Helping young adults understand their learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 27, 413–420.
39.
RumrillP. (1999). Effects of social competence training program on accommodation request activity, situational self-efficacy, and Americans with Disabilities Act knowledge among employed people with visual impairments and blindness. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 12, 25–31.
40.
SievertA. L.CuvoA. J.DavisK. A. (1988). Training self-advocacy skills to adults with mild handicaps. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 21, 299–309.
41.
SnyderE. P.ShapiroE. S. (1997). Teaching students with emotional/behavioral disorders the skills to participate in the development of their own IEPs. Behavior Disorders, 22, 245–259.
42.
Taylor-RitzlerT.BalcazarF. E.KeysC. B.HayesE.Garate-SerafiniT.EspinoS. R. (2001). Promoting attainment of transition-related goals among low-income ethnic minority students with disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 24, 147–167.
43.
TestD.FowlerC.WoodW.BrewerD.EddyS. (2005). A conceptual framework of self-advocacy for students with disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 26, 43–54.
44.
TestD. W.MasonC.HughesC.KonradM.NealeM.WoodW. (2004). Student involvement in Individualized Education Program meetings. Exceptional Children, 70, 391–412.
45.
TestD. W.NealeM. (2004). Using The Self-Advocacy Strategy to increase middle graders' IEP participation. Journal of Behavioral Education, 13, 135–145.
46.
TurnbullA. P.TurnbullH. R. (2001). Families, professionals and exceptionality: Collaborating for empowerment (4th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill.
47.
Van ReusenA. K.BosC. S. (1994). Facilitating student participation in individualized education programs through motivation strategy instruction. Exceptional Children, 60, 466–475.
48.
Van ReusenA. K.BosC. S.SchumakerJ. B.DeshlerD. D. (1994). The self-advocacy strategy for education and transition planning. Lawrence, KS: Edge Enterprises.
49.
Van ReusenA. K.DeshlerD. D.SchumakerJ. B. (1989). Effects of a student participation strategy in facilitating the involvement of adolescents with learning disabilities in the individualized education program planning process. Learning Disabilities, 1 (2), 23–34.
50.
WehmeyerM. (1998). Self-determination and individuals with significant disabilities: Examining meaning and misinterpretations. Journal of the Association for Persons With Severe Handicaps, 23, 5–16.
51.
WehmeyerM.KelchnerK. (1995a). The Arc's Self-Determination Scale. Arlington, TX: The Arc.
52.
WehmeyerM.KelchnerK. (1995b). Whose future is it anyway? A student-directed transition process. Arlington, TX: The Arc.
53.
WehmeyerM.LawrenceM. (1995). Whose future is it anyway? Promoting student involvement in transition planning. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 18, 69–83.
54.
WehmeyerM.PalmerS. (2003). Adult outcomes for students with cognitive disabilities three-years after high school: The impact of self-determination. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 38, 131–144.
55.
WehmeyerM.SchwartzM. (1997). Self-determination and positive adult outcomes: A follow up study of youth with mental retardation or learning disabilities. Exceptional Children, 63, 245–255.
56.
WehmeyerM.SchwartzM. (1998). The self-determination focus of transition goals for students with mental retardation. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 21, 75–86.
57.
WhiteG.ThompsonR. (1997). An empirical analysis of the effect of a self-administered advocacy letter training program. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 41, 74–88.
58.
WilliamsP.ShoultzB. (1982). We can speak for ourselves: Self-advocacy by mentally handicapped people. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
59.
WolfensbergerW. (1972). Normalisation. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: National Institute on Mental Retardation.
60.
ZubalR.ShoultzB.WalkerP.KennedyM. (1997). Materials on self-advocacy. Syracuse, NY: Center on Human Policy, Syracuse University.
