This study investigated the behaviors of parents and teachers in the United States and Taiwan in fostering the self-determination of elementary and secondary school students. Participants were parents and teachers of 203 students from the United States and 90 students from Taiwan. Findings indicated that U.S. teachers reported similar levels of engagement in selfdetermination—fostering behaviors as teachers in Taiwan; U.S. parents reported significantly higher levels of engagement in selfdetermination—fostering behaviors than parents in Taiwan; in both countries, teachers and parents of secondary school students reported higher levels of engagement than teachers and parents of elementary school students; and country differences and teacher—parent differences were related to some specific items. Interpretations of these findings and their implications for parent and teacher education and cultural differences are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Agran, M., Blanchard, C., & Wehmeyer, M. (2000). Promoting transition goals and self-determination through student self-directed learning: The self-determined learning model of instruction. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 35, 351—364.
2.
Agran, M., Snow, K., & Swaner, J. (1999). Teacher perceptions of self-determination benefits, characteristics, strategies. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 34, 293—301.
3.
Algozzine, R.F., Browder, D.B., Karvonen, M., Test, D.W., & Wood, W.M. (2001). Effects of interventions to promote self-determination for individuals with disabilities. Review of Educational Research , 71, 219—277.
4.
Chen, L.J. (2002). Considering the transition services for the disabilities in Taiwan after attending the DCDT conference. SpecialEducation , 85, 12—17.
5.
Chen, L.J., & Zhang, D. (2003). Transition services in Taiwan: A comparison between service need and services received. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 38, 334—340.
6.
Cook, C.C., Brotherson, M.J., Weigel-Garrey, C., & Mize, I. (1996). Homes to support the self-determination of children . In D. J. Sands & M. L. Wehmeyer (Eds.), Self-determination across the life span: Independence and choice for people with disabilities (pp. 91—110). Baltimore: Brookes .
7.
Doll, B., Sands, D.J., Wehmeyer, M.L., & Palmer, S. (1996). Promoting the development and acquisition of self-determined behavior. In D. J. Sands & M. L. Wehmeyer (Eds.), Self-determination across the life span: Independence and choice for people with disabilities (pp. 63—88). Baltimore: Brookes .
8.
Field, S., & Hoffman, A. (2002). Lessons learned from implementing the Steps to Self-Determination curriculum. Remedial and Special Education , 23, 90—98.
9.
Field, S., Martin, J., Miller, R., Ward, M., & Wehmeyer, M. (1998a). Self-determination for persons with disabilities: A position statement of the Division on Career Development and Transition . Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 21, 113—128.
10.
Field, S., Martin, J., Miller, R., Ward, M., & Wehmeyer, M. (1998b). A practical guide for teaching self-determination . Reston, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.
11.
Frankland, H.C., Turnbull, A.P., Wehmeyer, M.L., & Blackmountain, L. (2004). An exploration of the self-determination construct and disability as it relates to the Diné (Navajo) culture. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities , 39, 191—205.
12.
Hallahan, D., & Kauffman, J.M. (2000). Exceptional learners. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon .
13.
Hasazi, S., Gordon, S., & Roe, R. (1985). Factors associated with the employment status of handicapped youth exiting high school from 1979—1983. Exceptional Children, 51, 9—16.
14.
Lachapele, Y., & Wehmeyer, M.L. (2003). L'Autodétermination [Self-determination] . In M. Tasse & D. Morin (Eds.), La déficience intellectuelle [Intellectual deficit] (pp. 203—214). Boucherville, Quebec, Canada: Gaetan Morin.
15.
Lee, S.H., & Wehmeyer, M.L. (2004). A review of the Korean literature related to self-determination: Future directions and practices for promoting the self-determination of students with disabilities. KoreanJournal of Special Education, 38, 369—390.
16.
Lin, H.C. (1999). Self-advocacy and self-determination for individuals with disabilities. SpecialEducation, 73, 1—13.
17.
Lin, H.T. (2002). Transition system for students with mental disabilities in vocational senior high school. Bulletin of SpecialEducation , 22, 189— 215.
18.
Martin, J.E., Mithaug, D.E., Cox, P., Peterson, L.Y., Van Dycke, J.L., & Cash, M.E. (2003). Increasing self-determination: Teaching students to plan, work, evaluate, and adjust. Exceptional Children , 69, 431—447.
19.
Mason, C., Field, S., & Sawilowsky, S. (2004). Implementation of self-determination activities and student involvement in IEPs: Practice and attitudes of educators . Exceptional Children, 70, 441— 451.
20.
Ministry of Education. (1997). Special education act. Taipei, Taiwan: Author.
21.
Morningstar, M.E., Turnbull, A.P., & Turnbull, H.R. (1996). What do students with disabilities tell us about the importance of family involvement in the transition from school to adult life?Exceptional Children, 62, 249—260.
22.
Ohtake, Y., & Wehmeyer, M.L. (2004). Applying the self-determination construct to Japanese special education contexts. Manuscript submitted for publication.
23.
Palmer, S., Wehmeyer, M.L., Gipson, K., & Agran, M. (2004). Promoting access to the general curriculum by teaching self-determination skills. Exceptional Children, 70, 427—439.
24.
Peralta, F., Zulueta, A., & Gonzalez-Torres, C. (2003). La escala de autodeterminacion de Arc: Presentacion de un estudio piloto [The Arc's self-determination scale: A pilot study]. Siglo Cero, 33(3), 5—14.
25.
Powers, L.E., Wilson, R., Matuszewski, J., Phillips, A., Rein, C., Schumacher, D., et al. (1996). Facilitating adolescent self-determination: What does it take? In D. J. Sands & M. L. Wehmeyer (Eds.), Self-determination across the life span: Independence and choice for people with disabilities (pp. 257—284). Baltimore: Brookes .
26.
Sands, D.J., & Doll, B. (1996). Fostering self-determination is a developmental task. The Journal of Special Education, 30, 58—76.
27.
Sands, D.J., & Kozleski, E.B. (1994). Quality of life differences between adults with and without disabilities. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 29, 90—101.
28.
Shaun, J.T., & Shen, T.W. (1998). A study on the quality of work life of youth with disabilities in Taiwan. Taipei, Taiwan: National Science Council.
29.
Stevenson, H.W., & Lee, S. (1990). Contexts of achievement. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 55, 1—2.
30.
Test, D.W., Karvonen, M., Wood, W.M., Browder, D., & Algozzine, B. (2000). Choosing a self-determination curriculum. Teaching Exceptional Children, 33(2), 8—55.
31.
Test, D., Mason, C., Hughes, C., Konrad, M., Neale, M., & Wood, W.M. (2004). Student involvement in Individualized Education Program meetings: A review of the literature. Exceptional Children, 70, 391—412.
32.
Thoma, C.A., Nathanson, R., Baker, S.R., & Tamura, R. (2002). Self-determination: What do special educators know and where do they learn it?Remedial and Special Education , 23, 242—247.
33.
Wehman, P. (1998). Foreword. In M. L. Wehmeyer, M. Agran, & C. Hughes (Eds.), Teaching self-determination to students with disabilities (pp. ix— xi). Balitmore: Brookes
34.
Wehmeyer, M.L. (1997). Self-determination as an educational outcome: A definitional framework and implications for intervention. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 9, 175—209.
35.
Wehmeyer, M.L., Agran, M., & Hughes, C.A. (2000). A national survey of teachers' promotion on self-determination and student-directed learning. The Journal of Special Education , 34, 58—68.
36.
Wehmeyer, M.L., & Kelchner, K. (1995). The Arc's self-determination scale (adolescent version). Arlington, TX: The Arc .
37.
Wehmeyer, M.L., & Metzler, C. (1995). How self-determined are people with mental retardation? The national consumer survey. Mental Retardation, 33, 111—119.
38.
Wehmeyer, M.L., Morningstar, M., & Husted, D. (1999). Family involvement in transition planning and implementation. Austin, TX: PRO-ED .
39.
Wehmeyer, M.L., & Palmer, S.B. (2003). Promoting self-determination in early elementary school: Teaching self-regulated problem-solving and goal-setting skills. Remedial and Special Education, 24, 115—126.
40.
Wehmeyer, M.L., Palmer, S.B., Agran, M., Mithaug, D.E., & Martin, J.E. (2000). Promoting casual agency: The self-determined learning model of instruction. Exceptional Children, 66, 439—453.
41.
Wehmeyer, M.L., & Schwartz, M. (1998a). The relationship between self-determination, quality of life, and life satisfaction for adults with mental retardation . Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 33, 3—12.
42.
Wehmeyer, M.L., & Schwartz, M. (1998b). The self-determination focus of transition goals for students with disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 21, 75—86.
43.
Zhang, D. (2000). The effect of self-determination instruction on high school students with mild disabilities. LouisianaEducation Research Journal, 25, 29—54.
44.
Zhang, D. (2001). The effect of “Next S.T.E.P.” instruction on the self-determination skills of high school students with learning disabilities . Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 25, 121—132.
45.
Zhang, D., & Katsiyannis, A. (2002). Minority representation in special education: A persistent challenge. Remedial and Special Education, 23, 180—187.
46.
Zhang, D., Katsiyannis, A., & Zhang, J. (2002). Teacher and parent practice on fostering self-determination of secondary students with disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 25, 157—169.
