This is the published version. Copyright 2003 IOS Press.This article introduces the special issue on self-determination and vocational rehabilitation by defining the selfdetermination
construct and examining its relevance to vocational rehabilitation services

Wehmeyer, Michael L.

English

KU ScholarWorks

Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 19 (2003) 67–69 67IOS PressGuest EditorialSelf-determination, vocational rehabilitation,and workplace supportsMichael L. Wehmeyer∗Beach Center on Disability, Lawrence, KS 66045, USAAbstract. This article introduces the special issue on self-determination and vocational rehabilitation by defining the self-determination construct and examining its relevance to vocational rehabilitation services.Keywords: Self-determination, vocational rehabilitation, choice making, workplace supports1. IntroductionThe findings of Congress [Section 2 (29 U.S.C. 701)]from the 1992 Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act(and in subsequent reauthorizations) stated:1) millions of Americans have one or more physicalor mental disability and the number of Americanswith disabilities is increasing;2) individuals with disabilities constitute one of themost disadvantaged groups in society;3) disability is a natural part of the human experi-ence and in no way diminishes the right of indi-viduals to:a) live independently;b) enjoy self-determination;c) make choices;d) contribute to society;e) pursue meaningful careers; andf) enjoy full inclusion and integration in the eco-nomic, political, social, cultural and educa-tional mainstream of American society;∗Address for correspondence: Dr. M.L. Wehmeyer, AssociateProfessor, Department of Special Education, Associate Director,Beach Center on Disability, 1200 Sunnyside Ave., 3136 HaworthHall, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA. Tel.: +1 785 864 0723; Fax: +1785 864 3458; E-mail: wehmeyer@ku.edu.and (later in the section):6) the goals of the nation properly include the goalof providing individuals with disabilities the toolsnecessary to:a) make informed choices and decisions; andb) achieve equality of opportunity, full inclu-sion and integration into society, employment,independent living and economic and socialself-sufficiency, for such individuals (italicsadded).The 1998 amendments to the State Vocational Re-habilitation Services Program Act further strengthenedand emphasized the centrality of informed choice in therehabilitation process. Indeed, readers of theJournalof Vocational Rehabilitation know there is a nationaltrend toward residential and vocational services that aredelivered in a more consumer-driven manner [1,6,13].If, however, VR consumers are to benefit from thesenew ways of doing business, there is a need to addressresearch and practice issues pertaining to promotingand enhancing self-determination. An issue ofJVR in1995 [12] introduced the concept of self-determinationto readers of the journal. This issue provides researchdemonstrating the impact of practices to promote self-determination for VR consumers and overviews policyand practice issues.1052-2263/03/$8.00 2003 – IOS Press. All rights reserved68 M.L. Wehmeyer / Self-determination, vocational rehabilitation, and workplace supports2. What is self-determination?Put most simply, the self-determination constructrefers to both the right and capacity of people to exertcontrol over and direct their lives. The construct’s usein reference to a right is grounded in its meaning re-ferring the political right of people or peoples to self-governance. Disability advocates and activists havestressed the inherent right of people with disabilities toassume responsibility for and control over their lives [5,8]. In the 1990s, promoting and enhancing the self-determination of students with disabilities, particularlyas a function of the transition planning process, becamebest practice [9]. These efforts focused primarily onenhancing student capacity to become self-determinedand exert control in one’s life by promoting goal setting,problem solving, decision making and self-advocacyskills and focusing on efforts to promote opportunitiesfor students to use these skills.A variety of definitions of the construct have emergedfrom efforts in special education (see [3,9]). Fieldet al. [3] summarized these various definitions ofself-determination by stating that self-determined peo-ple apply “a combination of skills, knowledge andbeliefs” that enable them “to engage in goal-directed,self-regulated, autonomous behavior. An understand-ing of one’s strengths and limitations together with abelief in oneself as capable and effective are essen-tial in self-determination. When acting on the basisof these skills and attitudes, individuals have greaterability to take control of their lives and assume therole of successful adults in our society” (p. 2). Fieldet al. [3] further delineated the common componentsof self-determined behavior identified across multipleself-determination models or frameworks. These in-clude (a) awareness of personal preferences, interests,strengths, and limitations; (b) ability to (i) differenti-ate between wants and needs, (ii) make choices basedon preferences, interests, wants, and needs, (iii) con-sider multiple options and anticipate consequences fordecisions, (iv) initiate and take action when needed,(v) evaluate decisions based on the outcomes of pre-vious decision and revise future decisions accordingly,(vi) set and work toward goals, (vii) regulate behav-ior, (viii) use communication skills such as negotia-tion, compromise, and persuasion to reach goals, (ix)assume responsibility for actions and decisions; (c)skills for problem-solving; (d) a striving for indepen-dence while recognizing interdependence with others;(e) self-advocacy and self-evaluation skills; (f) inde-pendent performance and adjustment skills, (g) persis-tence; (h) self-confidence; (i) pride; and (j) creativity.3. Is self-determination important for VRconsumers?There are several indicators to suggest that the an-swer to this question is ‘yes’. First, as mentioned previ-ously, promoting choice and self-determination is man-dated by federal disability policy and legislation. Sec-ond, people with disabilities have been unequivocal intheir demands for enhanced self-determination [5,8].Third, there is compelling evidence from the specialeducation literature that enhanced self-determinationleads to more positive adult outcomes. Wehmeyer andSchwartz [11] measured the self-determination statusof 80 students with mild mental retardation or learn-ing disabilities in their final year of high school andthen one year after high school. Students with higherself-determination scores were more likely to have ex-pressed a preference to live outside the family home,have a savings or checking account, and be employedfor pay. Eighty percent of students in the high self-determination group worked for pay one year aftergraduation, while only 43% of students in the lowself-determination group did likewise. Among school-leavers who were employed,youth who were in the highself-determination group earned significantly more perhour (M = $4.26) than their peers in the low self-determination group (M = $1.93).Wehmeyer and Palmer [10] conducted a secondfollow-up study, examining the adult status of 94young people with cognitive disabilities (mental re-tardation or learning disability) one and three yearspost-graduation. These data replicated results fromWehmeyer and Schwartz [11]. Sowers and Powers [7]showed that instruction on multiple components re-lated to self-determination increased the participationand independence of students with severe disabilitiesin performing community activities.Finally, there is a growing body of evidence in thefield of vocational rehabilitation that, in particular, en-hancing choice opportunities leads to better VR-relatedoutcomes. For example, Farley et al. [2] evaluated theimpact of strategies to enhance consumer choice and in-volvement in the VR process, and found that consumerswho were actively involved in VR planning enhancedvocational career development outcomes. Similarly,Hartnett et al. [4] compared costs, services receivedand outcomes achieved for people served through thetypical VR system and people involved in a “ConsumerChoice Demonstration Project” in Vermont. Theyfound that theChoice group was two times more likelyM.L. Wehmeyer / Self-determination, vocational rehabilitation, and workplace supports 69to have completed rehabilitation and their mean incomewas 2.7 times higher.It appears, then, that there are more than justcompliance-related reasons to focus on promoting self-determination among vocational rehabilitation con-sumers. This issue of JVR extends the literature basepertaining to self-determination and vocational rehabil-itation. It is our hope that this will both heighten aware-ness of the construct among professionals in vocationalrehabilitation and stimulate research and model devel-opment to achieve the intent of the VR Act with regardto self-determination and consumer choice.References[1] M. Callahan, N. Shumpert and M. Mast, Self-employment,choice and self-determination,Journal of Vocational Rehabil-itation 17(2) (2002), 75–85.[2] R.C. Farley, P. Bolton and R. Parkerson, Effects of client in-volvement in assessment on vocational development,Rehabil-itation Counseling Bulletin 35(3) (1992), 146–153.[3] S. Field, J. Martin, R. Miller, M. Ward and M. Wehmeyer,A practical guide to teaching self-determination, Reston, VA:Council for Exceptional Children, 1998.[4] J.T. Hartnett, M. Collins and T. Tremblay, Longitudinal out-comes in Vermont’s Consumer Choice Demonstration Project(1993–1999), Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 17(3)(2002), 145–154.[5] M. Kennedy, Self-determination and trust: My experiencesand thoughts, in:Self-determination across the life span: In-dependence and choice for people with disabilities, D.J. Sandsand M.L. Wehmeyer, eds, Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes, 1996,pp. 35–47.[6] M.S. Kilsby and S. Beyer, Enhancing self-determination injob matching in supported employment for people with learn-ing disabilities: An intervention study,Journal of VocationalRehabilitation 17(2) (2002), 125–135.[7] J. Sowers and L. Powers, Enhancing the participation and in-dependence of students with severe physical and multiple dis-abilities in performing community activities,Mental Retarda-tion 33 (1995), 209–220.[8] M.J. Ward, Coming of age in the age of self-determination:A historical and personal perspective, in:Self-determinationacross the life span: Independence and choice for people withdisabilities, D.J. Sands and M.L. Wehmeyer, eds, Baltimore:Paul H. Brookes, 1996, pp. 1–16.[9] M.L. Wehmeyer, M. Agran and C. Hughes,Teaching self-determination to students with disabilities: Basic skills forsuccessful transition, Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes, 1998.[10] M.L. Wehmeyer and S.B. Palmer, Adult outcomes for stu-dents with cognitive disabilities three-years after high school:The impact of self-determination,Education and Training inDevelopmental Disabilities 38(2003), 131–144.[11] M.L. Wehmeyer and M. Schwartz, Self-determination andpositive adult outcomes: A follow-up study of youth withmental retardation or learning disabilities,Exceptional Chil-dren 63 (1997), 245–255.[12] M.L. Wehmeyer and M.D. West, eds, Theme issue: Self-determination, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 5(4)(1995).[13] M.D. West, Choice, self-determination and VR services: Sys-temic barriers for consumers with severe disabilities,Journalof Vocational Rehabilitation 5(4) (1995), 281–290.

Self-determination, vocational rehabilitation, and workplace supports

https://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/bitstream/1808/17905/1/WehemeyerM_JVR_19%282%2967.pdf

Self-determination, vocational rehabilitation, and workplace supports

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

KU ScholarWorks