Self Determination:  A Critical Skill for Post-secondary Success

What is self-determination?

Martin and Huber Marshall (1995), define self-determination as consisting of seven components:


  1. SELF-AWARENESS is the ability to identify and understand one’s needs, interests, strengths,limitations and values.

  2. SELF-ADVOCACY refers to the ability to express one’s needs, wants and rights in an assertive manner.

  3. SELF-EFFICACY is commonly referred to as self-confidence—the belief that one will attain a goal.

  4. DECISION-MAKING is the complex skill of setting goals, planning actions, identifying information to make decisions and choosing the best option to reach one’s goals.

  5. INDEPENDENT PERFORMANCE is the ability to start and complete tasks through self management strategies.

  6. SELF-EVALUATION includes the ability to self-assess performance and determine when a goal or task has been satisfactorily completed.

  7. ADJUSTMENT is the process of revising one’s goals and plans to improve performance or success.

Why is self-determination important for students with disabilities in post-secondary education?

Self-Determination is a critical skill for the success of students with disabilities in post-secondary education, because after high school graduation they are no longer entitled to the services detailed in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA). In the post-secondary setting, people with disabilities must disclose and describe their need for accommodations to the Disability Services Office, which determines their eligibility for those accommodations. Students with disabilities may need to advocate for accommodations that are not readily offered. They may also need to explain their disability and required accommodations to others, for example, professors, roommates, supervisors, etc.

The elements of self-determination described above are key to achieving goals. A student in a post-secondary setting must believe that he or she can be successful, make decisions, act
independently, evaluate and modify performance in various situations as necessary and adjust goals and plans to improve performance or achieve success.

Adapted from: NCSET, Self-Determination for Post-Secondary Students, http://www.ncset.org/topics/sdpse/faqs.asp?topic=7