<p> Promoting self-determination and active student involvement in the individualized education program (IEP) process is critical to the success of students with disabilities. While extensive research has been conducted to investigate the perceptions of parents and educators regarding students’ self-determination and IEP involvement, minimal research exists regarding student perceptions of these factors. This mixed methods study examined the perceptions of students with high-incidence disabilities regarding self-determination skills and involvement in the IEP process. The participants included eighteen students with high-incidence disabilities receiving special education services at one rural and one urban public high school in northwest North Dakota. This study employed individual, face-to-face interviews and a self-perception survey instrument to examine student perceptions related to self-determination skills and IEP involvement. Participant responses to the survey were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed five themes characterizing the participants’ perceptions of self-determination and involvement in the IEP process. When the results of the quantitative and qualitative analyses were compared, the results converged in all areas of the self-perception survey, with the exception of one area. The findings provide evidence supporting the need for explicit instruction in self-determination skills. Results further indicate a continued lack of active student involvement at IEP meetings; however, there does appear to have been a shift toward “guided” participation. Findings also indicate that students have received minimal instruction in leading their own IEP meetings. Implications of these findings for current practice in the field of special education are discussed. Recommendations for future research are also discussed.</p><p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:13423193 |
| Date | 20 December 2018 |
| Creators | Viall, Janessa L. |
| Publisher | Minot State University |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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