Development of the Goal-Setting Challenge App: Engaging Users to Promote Self-Determination

The Goal Setting Challenge App: Impact on Transition Goal Attainment Outcomes of Students With Disabilities

“…As described previously, the GSC App was designed to deliver the SDLMI in 14 lessons using online instructional technology, including two introductory lessons followed by 12 lessons aligned with the Student Questions within the three SDLMI phases (i.e., Phase 1–Set a Goal; Phase 2–Take Action; and Phase 3–Adjust Goal or Plan; Shogren et al, 2018). Accessibility and engagement features embedded in the GSC App (e.g., multiple student response options) and delivery of SDLMI core components (Student Questions, Teacher Objectives, and Educational Supports) were developed using best practices in instructional technology as well as sustained input from end-users (i.e., students) and their teachers (see Mazzotti et al, 2022 for further information). Each lesson was designed to take approximately 20 min to complete, and, in this study, students completed one to two GSC App lessons each week during virtual or hybrid instruction.…”

“…Accessibility features (e.g., text-to-speech, options to type or record responses, and responses in one lesson pulled forward to the next lesson) were built into the GSC App. The development of the GSC App and integration of best practices in instructional design are further described in Mazzotti et al (2022).…”

The Goal Setting Challenge App: Promoting Self-Determination Through Technology

“…The GSC App development is described more fully in Mazzotti et al (2022). In the App, students answer the SDLMI Student Questions, after navigating through lessons that integrate personalized learning activities that address the SDLMI Teaching Objectives and provide Educational Supports (e.g., completing an activity, with immediate feedback, to identify key parts of a transition goal).…”

“…This includes two introductory lessons followed by 12 lessons aligned with the Student Questions and the three phases of the SDLMI. The specific features embedded in the App (e.g., personalized instructional characters reflecting diverse cultural identities, multiple student response options) and delivery of instruction and education supports (e.g., student-led instruction and examples, different activity formats to demonstrate knowledge) were developed using best practices in instructional technology and universal design (e.g., variety of instructional modes, voice-over audio dialog, speech recognition features, data visualization) as well as significant and sustained input from end-users (i.e., students with disabilities, teachers; Mazzotti et al, 2022). The process model of engagement framework (O'Brien & Cairns, 2016) and principles of instructional design, namely, the model-lead-test format, were adopted to guide development (Coyne et al, 2011) to provide an appropriate level of challenge and aesthetic/sensory appeal for end-users (O'Brien & Cairns, 2016).…”

“…We engaged student end-users and their teachers directly and actively in the development process (see Mazzotti et al, 2022), but there has not yet been systematic testing of the GSC App and the delivery of a technology-mediated version of the SDLMI in school contexts with secondary students with disabilities. This single-case study was designed with rigorous methodological standards (Kittelman et al, 2018; Kratochwill et al, 2013) to collect data on the impacts of the GSC App on self-determination knowledge outcomes for students with disabilities as well as explore the feasibility and fidelity of student’s use of the GSC App in transition planning over an academic semester.…”