Self-Determination and Inclusive Postsecondary Education for Students With Intellectual Disability: A Review

• In Event: Reimagining Our Limits: Addressing Barriers to College Access for Students With Intellectual Disability

Abstract

Objectives: In this paper, we describe the results and implications of a scoping review of the literature on self-determination and inclusive postsecondary education for students with intellectual disability.

Framework: Self-determination, defined within Causal Agency Theory as “a dispositional characteristic manifested as acting as the causal agent in one’s life,” has garnered attention in research and practice in the field of disability over the last three decades (Shogren, Wehmeyer, et al., 2015, p. 258). A body of literature has shown the relationship between self-determination and adult outcomes in the areas of quality of life, employment, and community living for people with intellectual disability (ID; Powers et al., 2012; Shogren, Wehmeyer, Palmer, et al., 2015; Wehmeyer & Palmer, 2003). Calls to action have grown for increased opportunities for people with ID to be meaningfully included in all aspects of education (Morningstar et al., 2016), employment (Wehman et al., 2018), and community life (Amado et al., 2013). One of the results of the push for full inclusion for students with ID over the course of their educational experiences is the emergence and expansion of inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs across the US (Think College, 2021). Given the nascence of the field of IPSE, much remains to be explored. Researchers and practitioners have worked to understand the application of both evidence-based practices in secondary transition and supports for students with ID to have the same robust and authentic college experiences as their peers without disabilities. Self-determination, with its established evidence base in transition (National Technical Assistance Center on Transition, 2019), represents one such critical application and area for research. Thus, the purpose of this review is to examine the existing literature on self-determination and IPSE for students with ID and provide recommendations for future research and practice within the field.

Methods: The authors conducted a scoping review of the literature to identify English-language, peer-reviewed articles addressing self-determination within the context of IPSE for students with ID. A systematic process was used to search leading educational and social sciences databases, followed by a hand search of leading journals in the field and an ancestral search from identified articles. Authors then conducted a content analysis to code articles and identify themes across the literature.

Data sources: Data sources included peer-reviewed publications within education, psychology, and human services journals.

Results: The findings of the review indicate a small but growing body of research on self-determination and IPSE for students with ID. Much of the literature addresses the topic in general or limited terms despite the increasing number of students with ID in higher education and the empirical evidence for the significance of self-determination in the lives of people with ID.

Significance of the study or work: As more students with ID access higher education, self-determination represents a critical area for study, particularly given differences in self-determination based on context and personal factors (e.g., age, gender, race/ethnicity, level of support needs; Shogren, 2011; Wehmeyer et al., 2011). Recommendations for future directions in research and practice are provided.

Authors

• Ann Marie Licata, Millersville University

• Kathryn M Burke, Temple University