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Facilitating Self-Determination Through Education Planning

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Empowering Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

This chapter demonstrates how one parent utilised the Cycle of Learning to facilitate her son’s self-determination and self-advocacy skills. Self-determination is critically important in enabling individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to achieve long-term outcomes as they travel through school and into adult life. Supporting self-determination does not start when an individual is an adolescent, but must begin when they are very young. Parents and professionals can use strategies throughout their child’s life to support them to develop self-determination and to take charge of their own planning and problem-solving. Mitchell’s story exemplifies one adolescent’s journey towards developing self-determination. This chapter examines current research related to self-determination for individuals with ASD, and explores the benefits of self-determination and the implications for parents as they strive to develop their child’s self-determination, including helping them to become more self-aware, and to self-regulate and advocate for their own support. The final section presents research on the use of the Cycle of Learning to help parents identify evidence-based strategies that will help them to facilitate their child’s self-determination skills and provide them with opportunities to practise these skills to address problems in their child’s life. Finally, potential barriers that may impede parents and children with ASD from achieving their goals will be outlined, and possible strategies for overcoming these barriers discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia

    Amanda Webster

  2. Learning Sciences Institute, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Joy Cumming

  3. Coorparoo, Queensland, Australia

    Susannah Rowland

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  1. Amanda Webster
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  2. Joy Cumming
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  3. Susannah Rowland
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Webster, A., Cumming, J., Rowland, S. (2017). Facilitating Self-Determination Through Education Planning. In: Empowering Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2084-1_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2084-1_8

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-2082-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-2084-1

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