SelfDetermination and Inclusive Education with Zana Marie Lutfiyya

Self-Determination and Inclusive Education with Zana Marie Lutfiyya Rick Freeze University of Manitoba, Faculty of Education Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Conceptualizations of Self-Determination Seen as: • empowerment • motivation • learned behavior • self-advocacy Rationale: leads to “quality of life”

Self-Determination as Empowerment Circumstances and actions that enhance the possibilities for people to control their lives.

Self-Determination as Motivation An innate propensity to engage in personal interests, exercise personal capacities and overcome personal challenges.

Self-Determination as Learned Behaviour Lifelong learning, opportunities, and experiences that result in an individual becoming the primary causal agent in his or her own life.

Self-Determination as Learned Behaviour Involves: • autonomy • self-regulation • internal locus of control • self-knowledge

Self-Determination as Learned Behaviour Autonomy: • from Greek “autos” (self) + “nomos” (rule) • making choices and decisions • free from undue external influence or interference • not the same as “independence” – some may depend on technology or other people to achieve autonomous self-determined outcomes

Self-Determination as Learned Behaviour Self-regulation: • awareness of environmental opportunities and constraints • self-awareness of personal possibilities and limitations within environments • ability to make decisions about how to act Continued next slide

Self-Determination as Learned Behaviour Self-regulation: • ability to evaluate outcomes of personal actions • ability to revise decisions as necessary • not the same as “agency” - some may depend on technology or other people to achieve selfregulated outcomes

Self-Determination as Learned Behaviour Internal locus of control: • control over important personal circumstances • self-efficacy – possession of requisite skills to achieve desired outcomes • outcome expectation – reasonable belief that desired outcomes will be achieved if requisite skills are applied • not the same as “self-sufficiency” - some may depend on technology or other people to exercise control

Self-Determination as Learned Behaviour Self-knowledge of: • personal strengths and limitations • how personal strengths can be supported and enhanced (i. e. , learning scaffolds, technologies, peer and personnel supports, institutional services, etc. ) • how to select or modify environmental circumstances that effect personal learning

Self-Determination as Learned Behaviour Self-knowledge of: • how personal limitations can be mitigated • how to appeal inadequate provisions • how to access and use institutional and social supports for advocacy and inclusion

Self-Determination leads to Quality of Life Quality of life is: • composed of the same factors and relationships that are important to persons without disabilities • experienced when a person's (or his or her family's or community's) basic needs are met • when a person has the same opportunities as anyone else to pursue and achieve goals in the major life settings of home, community and work

Self-Determination leads to Quality of Life Quality of life is: • grounded in the person’s and family’s strengths • variable over each person's lifespan • congruent with public values and behavior • validated by others representing a variety of viewpoints, including: the person’s family, and the professionals, service providers, and disability advocates involved in his or her life

Limits to Self-Determination Age: • formal restrictions in law (e. g. , voting, entering a contract, driving a car, etc. ) – same as for nondisabled, multiple restrictions may apply • informal restrictions in custom (e. g. , prejudice and discrimination, environmental barriers, etc. ) – may be same as for non-disabled or unique to disabled, multiple restrictions may apply

Limits to Self-Determination Experience: • lack of knowledge of implications of decisions • lack of knowledge of alternative options • lack of capacity to do something • lack of developmental experiences to build capacity • low expectations grounded in gender, disability, racial or other forms of discrimination

Limits to Self-Determination Experience: • lack of inclusive technology • lack of inclusive environments • lack of inclusive policies • lack of inclusive teaching • lack scaffolded or supported learning

Limits to Self-Determination Impairments: • lack of ability to be aware of opportunities for self-determination • lack of ability to be aware of supports for selfdetermination • lack of ability to communicate decisions

Limits to Self-Determination Impairments: • may vary over time • may require good faith advocates and intervenors • some individuals may need protection from exclusion, indifference and exploitation

Limits to Self-Determination Poor Judgement: • inability to make wise decisions due to lack of self -awareness • inability to make wise decisions due to misunderstanding his or her circumstances • lack of knowledge of available learning scaffolds, technologies and peer and personnel supports

Practical Implications Create opportunities for developmentally appropriate: • control of personal environments • engagement in personal interests • exercise of personal capacities and strengths • opportunities to face, struggle and ultimately overcome personal challenges

Practical Implications Create opportunities for developmentally appropriate: • choice-making • decision-making • problem-solving • goal setting and attainment

Practical Implications Teach: • self-observation, self-evaluation, and selfreinforcement • positive attributions of efficacy and outcome expectancy • awareness of environmental opportunities and constraints • self-awareness of personal possibilities and limitations within environments

Practical Implications Teach: • how personal strengths can be supported and enhanced (i. e. , learning scaffolds, technologies, peer and personnel supports, institutional services, etc. ) • how to select or modify environmental circumstances that effect personal learning

Practical Implications Teach: • self-advocacy skills • how personal limitations can be mitigated • how to appeal inadequate provisions • how to access and use institutional and social supports for advocacy and inclusion

Practical Implications Provide: • inclusive technology (based on Universal Design for Learning principles) • inclusive (barrier free) environments • inclusive policies (eliminate segregation, promote valued social roles) • inclusive teaching through scaffolded learning (Differentiated Instruction) • good faith advocates and intervenors