Self-determination is a predictor of positive in- and post-school outcomes, including access to general education, competitive employment, and community participation. Emerging research has focused on promoting self-determination for all students given alignments with college and career readiness frameworks and equity-based education. However, it is also important to enhance self-determination as students participate in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) goal development process. Empowering transition-age students to lead the IEP goal development process with support from school personnel has the potential to enhance the alignment of IEP goals based on students’ strengths, preferences, values, and needs and enhance transition planning and college and career readiness. In this article, we provide an example of how to use a self-determination assessment, the Self-Determination Inventory: Student Report (SDI:SR), and an intervention, the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI), in the IEP goal development and implementation process to enhance transition planning and college and career readiness.

General and special educators encounter both barriers and facilitators as they implement whole-school interventions with fidelity to make secondary schools inclusive for students with extensive support needs (ESN). This article translates research into practice by sharing guidance from secondary general and special educators with experience implementing an evidence-based intervention designed to promote student self-determination, the Self-Determined Learning of Model of Instruction (SDLMI), providing tips on how to build an integrated system of supports that promotes self-determination for all students, inclusive of students with ESN. Tips include (a) ensuring all students have opportunities to build self-determination, (b) customizing instruction using the SDLMI, (c) aligning SDLMI instruction with academic and transition planning content, (d) finding your SDLMI community, and (e) leveraging SDLMI implementation to enhance collaboration.

All students go through a variety of transitions throughout their life (i.e., middle school to high school, high school to the workforce). However, students with disabilities tend to experience disparities compared to their peers without disabilities in regard to in-school and postschool outcomes. One way to enhance outcomes for students with disabilities is providing opportunities for students to enhance their self-determination. One evidence-based practice to enhance self-determination is the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI). To support self-determination in transition planning, teachers can use the SDLMI to enable students to direct their own learning and work towards self-selected transition goals related to enhanced in-school and postschool outcomes, such as goal attainment, competitive integrated employment, and community participation. This article describes how teachers can support students in setting and working towards goals while also supporting progress in their IEP to enhance student voice and student-directed transition planning