Self-Determination   (#7963140)

Version Description

Purpose
The purpose of this course is to enable students with disabilities to apply self-determination and self-advocacy skills in school, home, community, and employment settings. Students will increase self-awareness of personal abilities and develop an understanding of the impact of their own disability on learning and on other areas of life.

Course Requirements
Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy
1. Explain how personal abilities and disability impact learning and other areas of life. 
2. Identify own interests, strengths, preferences, needs, and possible resources.
3. Describe factors that impact self-esteem and personal feelings of efficacy.
4. Apply strategies to support positive self-esteem and feelings of efficacy in a variety of situations and settings.
5. Apply skills of self-advocacy and self-determination as appropriate in a variety of situations, including accessing community resources, requesting accommodations, and self-disclosure.
 
Choice Making and Motivation
6. Make choices based on determination of strengths, interests, and needs; review of possible options; and consideration of consequences in a variety of situations.
7. Assess how internal and external motivation drives personal effort.
8. Employ self-motivation techniques, such as making a list, setting goals, and rewarding accomplishments.
 
Decision Making and Problem Solving
9. Use effective decision-making strategies and apply problem-solving skills when completing tasks in a variety of situations.
10. Identify problems, examine alternatives, implement solutions, and evaluate results in a variety of situations.

Personal and Social Relationships 
11. Use communication skills that promote positive interpersonal relationships in a variety of situations.
12. Identify potential consequences of behavior or communication before interacting with others.

13. Model effective conflict resolution strategies and processes.  

Personal and Career Planning
14. Use a systematic planning process to establish and revise short- and long-term goals.
15. Explain high school diploma options and requirements and their impact on postsecondary education/training and career options.
16. Participate effectively in own IEP meeting for transition planning.
17. Explain the components of own IEP.
 
Leadership
18. Exhibit leadership skills, including guiding or directing others on a positive course of action and appropriately influencing the opinion and behavior of others.
19. Assume leadership roles in various situations, including IEP team meetings.

General Notes

Students with disabilities may take this course to assist with their own individual transition planning. At district discretion, students may take this course in middle school for high school credit.

Instructional activities involving practical applications of course requirements may occur in home, school, community, and employment settings for the purposes of training, practice, and validation of skills. 

A student may earn multiple credits in this course. The particular course requirements that the student should master to earn each credit must be specified on an individual basis. Multiple credits may be earned sequentially or simultaneously. 

This course is designed to address a range of abilities within the population of students with disabilities. Course requirements may be modified based on individual needs. 

English Language Development (ELD) Standards Special Notes Section:

Teachers are required to provide listening, speaking, reading and writing instruction that allows English language learners (ELL) to communicate for social and instructional purposes within the school setting.   For the given level of English language proficiency and with visual, graphic, or interactive support, students will interact with grade level words, expressions, sentences and discourse to process or produce language necessary for academic success. The ELD standard should specify a relevant content area concept or topic of study chosen by curriculum developers and teachers which maximizes an ELL’s need for communication and social skills. To access an ELL supporting document which delineates performance definitions and descriptors, please click on the following link: https://cpalmsmediaprod.blob.core.windows.net/uploads/docs/standards/eld/si.pdf.