We often hear about the problems young people with disabilities face—physical obstacles, social rejection, academic failure, and medical crises. Yet some people do overcome significant challenges and lead successful lives. What does success mean to them and how do they achieve it? What internal characteristics do these individuals possess and what external factors have been present in their lives? What advice do they have to help young people build personal strengths to overcome the challenges they no doubt will face?
Included in this article are insights from successful young people and adults with disabilities. These insights may help young people learn to lead self-determined lives. But, what is self-determination? There are many definitions to choose from. The following definition is concise and incorporates a number of common themes found in other definitions.
Self-determination is a
combination of skills, knowledge, and beliefs that enable a person to engage in
goal-directed, self-regulated, autonomous behavior. An understanding of one's
strengths and limitations together with a belief in oneself as capable and
effective are essential to self-determination. When acting on the basis of
these skills and attitudes, individuals have greater ability to take control of
their lives and assume the role of successful adults.
Gaining control over your life involves learning
and then successfully applying a number of self-determination skills, such as
goal-setting, understanding your abilities and disabilities, problem-solving,
and self-advocacy. The personal process of learning, using, and self-evaluating
these skills in a variety of settings is at the heart of self-determination. "Don't allow your disABILITY to shut you out of life; your request for Access has been Granted"
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