Teacher perceptions of self-determination: Benefits, characteristics, strategies

Despite IRE current interest in promoting self-determination and student-di rected leaning, the extent to which students are systematically taught thes e skills remains uncertain. The purpose of this study was to survey the per ceptions of a sample of special educators on the benefits of self-determina tion, the characteristics associated with it, and the strategies used, to a chieve it. Results indicated strong support for self-determination instruct ion, and the teachers reported that it provides numerous benefits. Despite these findings, it was noted that relatively few educators include self-det ermination skills in IEPs. The implications of these findings are discussed .