Affiliations: Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
23284-2020, USA | San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Colleen A. Thoma, Virginia
Commonwealth University, 1015 West Main St., Oliver Hall, Rm. 3070, Richmond,
VA 23284-2020, USA. Tel.: +1 804 828 9118; Fax: +1 804 828 1326; E-mail:
cathoma@vcu.edu
Abstract: Promoting self-determination is now widely recognized in the
literature as a best practice in special education services, particularly in
relation to facilitating students' transition from high school to adult life,
and, increasingly, in vocational rehabilitation. The present study reports a
survey of rehabilitation counseling preservice students in two states to
determine: 1) what rehabilitation counseling students know about
self-determination; 2) where they learned to facilitate self-determination; 3)
what strategies (curricula, assessments, and/or person-centered planning tools)
they heard about and/or used to facilitate self-determination; and 4) how
important the core competencies of self-determination were in their own lives.
The results of the survey are highlighted and implications for professional
development in vocational rehabilitation, research, and dissemination of
further research related to self-determination are noted.
