Running Head: ASSESSMENT & SURVEY 1

Preliminary Assessment and Checklist

SPED 875: Advanced Practicum with Exceptional Children and Youth

University of Kansas

Dr. Martha Elford

Brent Seager

January 21, 2018

ASSESSMENT & SURVEY 2

Preliminary Assessment

Student Characteristics

For the self-determination project, I have selected a student that I will name by initials

C.B. C.B. is a junior in high school and his exceptionality is Other Health Impairment (OHI).

He has two older brothers with disabilities and he and his brothers live at home with their

mother. C.B. does have several communication concerns, as he struggles to engage in

conversations, appropriate topics, and correct timing; which has impaired his ability to maintain

healthy relationships and friendships with other students. C.B. can communicate his needs

verbally and non-verbally, but is continuing to work on and build self-advocacy skills in this

area. C.B. enjoys science and trains, and this is frequently the topic of his conversations, which

does not always align with that of his peers or with the content being taught in the classroom.

The school program is a new setting for C.B. this year, and most of the learning is

conducted online, which has been a significant change for C.B. When C.B. is overwhelmed, he

struggles with handling his anxiety and has become verbally and physically aggressive towards

his peers and staff members. C.B. is a motivated student that likes to have extrinsic rewards and

will set goals to earn a free lunch from a place of his choosing. While C.B. is motivated to work

for a reward, he still needs to develop self-determination and intrinsic motivational skills to

improve his participation in classroom activities and lessons (Joo, So & Kim, 2018, p. 6-7).

From his work and information that he provided for the survey and assessment, I believe that he

will greatly benefit from learning these skills and working with me during this project.

Assessment Results

Self-determination theory (SDT) is a continuum of motivation that is used to determine

intrinsic and extrinsic motivating factors. This information allowed me to better understand and

communicate with the student the reasons why we were completing the assessments (Howard &
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et al., 2016, p. 75). The student required some help filling out the self-determination forms, but

seemed to be intrinsically motivated to fill out the forms, and he provided some great insight on

how to better support him and his acquisition of self-determination skills. He was also

extrinsically motivated to complete the surveys, as he would earn a short free choice break after

he completed the surveys. Based on the information collected from the surveys, C.B. needs

additional support in self-advocacy, becoming more involved in the IEP process, designing

goals, determining accommodations/modifications, and learning about his rights and

responsibilities as a student with a disability. While he has learned some of the needs in his

social skills class and in using Life Centered Education (LCE) activities, it appears that he

demonstrates the need for additional support in these areas.

The needs assessment for the school indicated that we have many supports in place for

students with disabilities, but student involvement and student led IEP meetings are not very

common. This is something that each teacher is currently working on getting implemented as a

standard practice in our building. Student led IEP meetings allow for the student to better

understand the IEP process and how this impacts their education. Having C.B. lead his next IEP

meeting will increase his knowledge of his rights, responsibilities, services being received, goals,

and accommodations/modifications (Martin & et al., 2006, p. 299-301). While student led IEP

meetings for each student is the ideal goal, some students may still require additional support in

planning, developing, and setting the agenda for their services and meeting.

The educator assessment results were surprising as well, as I was unaware that C.B. did

not have much knowledge of his rights as a student with a disability, his goals,

accommodations/modifications, or services. I know that these were reviewed in the meeting, but

it appears that the student may not have understood these items or the concept could have been

confusing. To address these concerns, I have reviewed his services, goals, supports, and other
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relevant IEP items with him. I am wanting to design some type of checklist or cue cards that he

can use to better understand and review his goals, services, and supports. I also spoke with him

about taking the lead at his next meeting, and that I would help him make a presentation that will

allow him to advocate his needs, goals, and possible services. Based on the outcome of the

results, C.B. is a motivated student that with support and encouragement will be able to refine

self-determination skills that will be used for him to be successful in and out of school.
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References

Howard, J., Gagne, M., Morin, A.J.S. & Van den Broeck, A. (2016). Motivation profiles at work:

A self-determination theory approach. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 95-95, p. 75.

Joo, Y.J., So, H.J. & Kim, N.H. (2018). Examination of relationships among students’ self-

determination, technology acceptance, satisfaction, and continuance intention to use K-

MOOCs. Computers and Education, p. 6-7.

Martin, J.E., Van Dycke, J.L., Christensen, W.R., Greene, B.A., Gardner, J.E. & Lovett, D.L.

(2006). Increasing student participation in IEP meetings: Establishing the self-directed

IEP as evidence-based practice. Exceptional Children, 72(3), p. 299-301.