A Basic Study for the Development of Support Programs for Instruction of Self-Determination at Home Based on Experiences and Support Needs of Parents and Teachers of Students with Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions, experiences, and support needs of parents and teachers regarding self-determination of students with disabilities as a basic study to develope a support program for instruction of self-determination at home. For this study, individual interviews were conducted with 19 parents of students and youth with disabilities, and focus group interviews were conducted with 14 special education teachers who are working at elementary, middle, and high schools. All collected data were analyzed using a constant comparative method. Based on the qualitative analysis, seven themes emerged as follows: (a) perceptions and awareness of self-determination, (b) practices of self-determination in students with disabilities, (c) influential factors related to self-determination, (d) instruction to promote self-determination, (e) difficulties in teaching self-determination, (f) support needs for teaching self-determination, and (g) needs regarding the content and format of support programs for instruction of self-determination at home. Based on the findings, several implications were provided to support promoting self-determination of students with disabilities at home such as (a) development of in-service and support programs to enhance parent and teacher capacities for promoting self-determination, (b) development of intervention programs considering influential factors related to self-determination, and (c) application of effective instruction for teaching self-determination at home and schools.