Date of Award

8-16-2024

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

Educational Studies

First Advisor

Anthony Plotner

Abstract

Young adults with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) are less likely than young adults without disability to be employed, enrolled in postsecondary education, or live independently after high school (Lauer & Houtenville, 2017; Newman, et al., 2011). Self-determination, or the freedom to act as the primary causal agent in one’s life (Palmer & Wehmeyer, 1998), is a well-documented component of enhanced quality of life (Shogren et al., 2017) and a predictor of postschool success (Mazzotti et al., 2021; Test et al. 2009) for students with disabilities. People with IDD are less self-determined than their nondisabled peers, and often less self-determined than peers with other types of disabilities (Shogren et al., 2017). As well there is a noticeable and unconscionable absence of the voices of young adults with IDD in the literature related to self-determination and agency (Shogren et al., 2018; Peña et al., 2016). Through the participatory action research method photovoice, this study empowered students enrolled in an inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) program on a college campus to become “co-researchers” and express their understanding of and experiences with self-determination and agency through a critical framework. Analyzed using constructivist grounded theory, two core themes were derived: self-determination is enhanced through equality of opportunity and sense of belonging begets self-determination. The photovoice project also culminated in an exhibition of co-researcher photos and concomitant narratives titled Experiences in Equity and Agency: Disability in Higher Education.

Rights

© 2024, Rebecca Boineau Smith Hill

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