- “Learning Community” Discussion Paper: Self-Determination in Vermont (.pdf) (1999) by Pam Walker, Bonnie Shoultz, Mair Hall, and Perri Harris is a report discussing lessons and issues raised during the initial stages of implementation of the Vermont Self-Determination Project. (30 pages)
- Community Engagement: A Necessary Condition for Self-Determination and Individual Funding (.pdf) (1999) by John O’Brien is a paper based on a meeting of a working group of family members, service workers, and people with disabilities from Ontario, Canada, concerned about building a strong foundation for community living.
- Fact Sheet: Summary of Self-Determination (.pdf) (1998) by Michael J. Kennedy and Lori Lewin summarizes what self-determination is and is not, the principles of self-determination, the values supported by self-determination, and a call for changes in the system in order for self-determination to truly succeed. (2 pages)
- Focus on Vermont’s Self-Determination Project (.pdf) (1998) by John O’Brien is a summary of a focus group discussion during initial stages of implementation of the Vermont Self-Determination Project. (13 pages)
- Holding the 10,000 Details: Productive Relationships Between Parents of People with Developmental Disabilities and Service Workers (.pdf) (2001) by John O’Brien and Connie Lyle O’Brien presents the perspectives of parents and service workers about their relationships with one another as they work to implement Wisconsin’s Self-Determination Initiative. (41 pages)
- Implementing Self-Determination Initiatives: Some Notes on Complex Change (.pdf) (1997) by John O’Brien offers his reflections about complex change, generated after a review of 10 of 38 proposals submitted by states to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in the summer of 1996. (40 pages)
- Self-Determination in Vermont: Contributions of The Vermont Self-Determination Project (.pdf) (2000) by Pam Walker, Perri Harris, Mair Hall, Valerie Smith, and Bonnie Shoultz describes accomplishments and challenges to implementing self-determination in Vermont. (50 pages)
- Self-Determination – by Michael J. Kennedy
- Walking Toward Freedom: One Family’s Journey Into Self-Determination (.pdf) (2000) by John O’Brien and Connie Lyle O’Brien illustrates, through one family’s experience, the complexities of “self-determination.” (32 pages)
Contact the organizations listed for information on obtaining the following resources:
- Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 1-800-638-3775
P.O. Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285- Self-Determination Across the Life Span: Independence and Choice for People with Disabilities, edited by Deanna J. Sands & Michael L. Wehmeyer. (1996). This book recognizes that self-determination is one of the building blocks of independence for people with disabilities and explores the theoretical, developmental, and practical aspects of decision making.
- Self-Determination and Trust: My Experiences and Thoughts, by Michael J. Kennedy. (1996). In this book chapter the author discusses how he defines self-determination, how important trusting relationships are in self-determination, and how the service system can support it. In Self-Determination Across the Life Span: Independence and Choice for People with Disabilities, edited by Deanna J. Sands & Michael L. Wehmeyer.
Outside Resources
- Individualized Funding Information Resources
This site provides comprehensive information about the development of ways that people with disabilities can gain control over the funds to pay for the supports they need–a crucial step towards self-determination and citizenship. - The Self-Determination Synthesis Project
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, with a grant from the Office of Special Education Projects/US Department of Education, is conducting a review and synthesis of the knowledge base and best practices related to self-determination (SD) and self-advocacy (SA) interventions in order to improve, expand, and accelerate the use of this knowledge by the professionals who serve children and youth with disabilities and the parents who rear, educate, and support their children with disabilities. - World Wide Web Resources on Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy (.pdf)
This is a comprehensive bibliography on self-determination and self-advocacy. It contains two sections: references to journal articles, books, instructional materials, and inservice educational material; and a variety of web sites.