Using Technology to Promote Self-Determination Among Youth with

Developmental Disabilities: Project MY

VOICE

Northern Illinois University

&

Indian Prairie School District #204

Toni Van Laarhoven, Traci Van Laarhoven-Myers, Justin Olson, Heather Johnson, & Anna Brady

Accepting the Challenge….

An excellent position paper regarding “Technologies for Self-Determination for Youth with Developmental Disabilities” was posted on the DDD website (Skouge, Kelly, Roberts, Leake, & Stodden, 2007) and later published in ETDD.

Skouge, J.R., Kelly, M.L., Roberts, K, D., Leake, D.W., & Stodden, R. A. (2007). Technologies for self-determination for youth with developmental disabilities, Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 42, 475-482.

The authors recommended using multimedia to give voice to individuals with developmental disabilities. We accepted the challenge.

Overview of Project Project MY VOICE (Multimedia for Youth to Voice

Outcomes Individually Created for Empowerment) is a collaborative 3-year project between Indian Prairie School District #204 and Northern Illinois University that was funded by the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Collaborative activities involve workshop sessions and training for educational staff, pre-service educators, and parents/guardians to have the essential skills and resources to promote and support self-determination and self-advocacy among youth with developmental disabilities.

Goals of Project

The overarching goal of Project MY VOICE is to develop a systematic model for preparing youth with developmental disabilities between the ages of 16-21 to have necessary leadership skills to become self-advocates regarding important personal life decisions.

Steffanie

MY VOICE

2009

Personal Information My name is Steffanie Lynne Van Laarhoven My birthday is February 19, 1961

Employment To be successful at

work, the type of help or supports I need include:

EmploymentMy new Merry Walker helps me to get around more independently at work. See me in action!

Preferences and Interests/Recreation and Leisure

My favorite movies include:

The King and I, Tarzan, Dirty Dancing, Disney movies, And anything with bald

men. Bald is beautiful, you know.

I like to spend time with my family.

Preferences and Interests/Recreation and Leisure

Preferences and Interests

I also like to talk to my family on the phone

“Wake up Slacker! You have basketball practice!”

Preferences and Interests/Recreation and Leisure

My all time favorite thing to do is to go out to dinner with Mom on the weekend.

Preferences and Interests/Recreation and Leisure

I also love to play cards with my family.

Self Determination

I let people know what I want in a nice way by signing please or saying, “Uh”.

Sometimes I let people know what I want in not so nice ways by tapping hard on the table or screaming.

Self Determination

I let people know what I do not want in a nice way by shaking my head or saying, “no”.

Sometimes, I let people know what I do not want in not so nice ways by screaming.

Project Participants

Students: Youth with developmental disabilities between the ages of 16-21

Educators: Teachers, therapists, vocational coordinators, etc. from IPSD #204 who work with targeted youth

Pre-Service Educators: NIU students who are enrolled in MY VOICE course

Parents: Although not formal participants, we also provided information and assistance to parents/guardians of targeted youth

Activities of Participants

Students Communicated strengths, interests, & preferences

and identified needed supports during assessment activities

Explored available options within life domains and evaluated pros & cons of each

Gathered & assisted with development of multimedia materials that reflected strengths, interests, preferences, & needs

Presented MY VOICE presentation at IEP/transition meeting

Activities of Participants (cont) Educational Personnel

Attended five workshops and developed a plan of action for implementing Project MY VOICE

Assessed students regarding strengths, interests, preferences and needs.

Collaborated with students, pre-service educators and parents/guardians to conduct assessments

Assisted students with gathering multimedia materials to create MY VOICE presentations

Developed goals and action plans for targeted students

Activities of Participants (cont)

Pre-Service Educators Enrolled in project course at NIU Met with educational staff, students, and

parents/guardians if possible to determine assessments to be used

Assessed student’s strengths, interests, preferences and needs under the supervision of educational staff

Wrote assessment reports and shared with educational staff & NIU instructors

Assisted student with creation of portion of MY VOICE project

Resources for Participants

MY VOICE Template: A PowerPoint template was created that provided a guide for assessing and presenting students’ strengths, interests, preferences, and identifying needed areas of support across life domains

Overview of Template

Resources (cont)

MY VOICE Toolkit Binder: A corresponding Toolkit was provided that had resources and assessments for each life domain outlined in the MY VOICE template.

Overview of Binder

Resources (cont) MY VOICE Toolkit Box: In addition to the

binder, participants were provided with the following resources at each site:

Transition Planning Inventory (TPI) http://www.proedinc.com/Customer/productView.aspx?ID=875

YES (Your Employment Selections)  http://www.yesjobsearch.com/

Choicemaker: Choose & Take Action Software http://web.uccs.edu/education/special/self_determination/cta_software.html

Reading Free Vocational Interest Inventory http://www.proedinc.com/customer/ProductView.aspx?ID=3052

Attainment Company Life Skills Curricula http://www.attainmentcompany.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16384&cat=0&page=1

Resources (cont)

Transition Planning Inventory (TPI) http://www.proedinc.com/Customer/productView.aspx?ID=875

Paper Forms:1. Student2. Parent3. School

Available on CD• Consolidates data from three different forms automatically

Resources (cont) YES (Your Employment Selections) 

http://www.yesjobsearch.com/

Example Job Selection 1

Example Job Selection 2

Facilitator’s Manual & 7 CD-ROMs with 120 different jobs

Resources (cont) Choicemaker: Choose & Take Action Software

http://web.uccs.edu/education/special/self_determination/cta_software.html

Choose Job to Investigate

Watch Video

DecideEvaluate Choice

Print off Documentation of Preference

Pictures and Chart from http://education.ou.edu/zarrow/files/Choose%20and%20Take%20Action-rev.pdf

Resources (cont)

Reading Free Vocational Interest Inventory http://www.proedinc.com/customer/ProductView.aspx?ID=3052

• Appropriate for ages 13 through Adult• Utilizes pictures of individuals

engaging in different occupations• 55 sets of three drawings – ranging

unskilled, semiskilled, and skilled levels

• No reading or writing required

Resources (cont) Attainment Company Life Skills Curricula

http://www.attainmentcompany.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16384&cat=0&page=1

1. Home Cooking Cookbook• Recipes with Pictures

2. Shopping Smart• Planner, Checklist, &

Strategies

3. Select-A-Meal• Planning, Ordering, Paying,

Behavior/Social

4. Plan Your Day• Time Management

5. Looking Good• Grooming / Dressing

6. Keeping House• Cleaning , Laundry,

Maintenance

Other Resources to Consider Enderle-Severson Transition Rating Scales (The ESTR-S is a transition instrument for

students with severe/multiple disabilities) http://www.estr.net/

Excellent Websites: National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center http://www.nsttac.org/

This website has numerous and fantastic resources for supporting transition planning activities. A definite “must see”

Transition Coalition http://transitioncoalition.org/transition/index.php Check out the work of Mary Morningstar. She has compiled an excellent list of resources

for supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities

Beach Center on Disability http://www.beachcenter.org/education_and_training/self-determination.aspx

Dr. Michael Wehmeyer has published numerous articles, books, and resources on self-determination. Great stuff

Resources (cont)

Technology: Each site (4) was provided with the following equipment: Laptop Computer Digital Video Camera Digital Camera USB Microphones DV tapes, memory cards, firewires, external

hard drives, CDs

Resources

Print and Video Tutorials: Following each workshop, participants were provided with both print and video tutorials for how to use the technologies

Overview of tutorials

Additional Resources

Picture Resources, Guide for Adapting TPI & Associated Symbol-Based Survey: To modify assessments for students with more significant needs, picture resources and a guide for modifying the TPI, as well as visual supports to accompany the Student form were provided to participating teachers.

Overview of picture resources, guide, & modified form

Sample Presentations

Health and SafetyHealth and Safety

In school, the use of color helps make specific In school, the use of color helps make specific items more apparent for me to see. In items more apparent for me to see. In doorways, green tape is wrapped in the middle doorways, green tape is wrapped in the middle of the frames. Yellow paper is marked on my of the frames. Yellow paper is marked on my locker so I can easily spot it.locker so I can easily spot it.

NEXT

Health and SafetyHealth and Safety

I know how to communicate with others when I need their help I know how to communicate with others when I need their help or support . or support .

If I am sick or injured, I need help with taking medications, first If I am sick or injured, I need help with taking medications, first aid care, going to doctor appointments, and all other healthcare aid care, going to doctor appointments, and all other healthcare needs. At school, I may need to go see the school nurse Mrs. needs. At school, I may need to go see the school nurse Mrs. Fegley.Fegley.

NEXT

Health and SafetyHealth and Safety

In case of an emergency, such as a fire, I In case of an emergency, such as a fire, I know to listen to my teachers and follow their know to listen to my teachers and follow their directions to be safe.directions to be safe.

NEXT

Self DeterminationSelf Determination

I like and am good at transitioning throughout my I like and am good at transitioning throughout my school with or without my class with staff assistanceschool with or without my class with staff assistance

Some challenges I have includeSome challenges I have include Not getting distracted whiling navigating the halls.Not getting distracted whiling navigating the halls. Seeing stairs, ramps, and corners.Seeing stairs, ramps, and corners.

NEXT

Self DeterminationSelf Determination

Nice things that Nice things that others say about me others say about me include that I aminclude that I am Socialocial CaringCaring FunFun SillySilly SmartSmart A LeaderA Leader

I am most proud of I am most proud of being a leader.being a leader.

NEXT

Self DeterminationSelf Determination

I let people know what I do not want in a nice way by I let people know what I do not want in a nice way by Touching them nicely on the arm or faceTouching them nicely on the arm or face Waving them awayWaving them away

Sometimes, I let people know what I do not want in not so nice Sometimes, I let people know what I do not want in not so nice ways byways by HittingHitting

NEXT

Hello, let me introduce

myself and my MYVOICE project

in my video…

My dreams for the future are:

1. To get a corvette convertible.

2. To be independent, and on my own.

3. To get married and have a family!

The first goal I would like to work on is completing my driving hours, and obtaining

my driver’s license.

I will need some help and support. The support I will need to achieve this goal includes: completing driving hours, reviewing the Rules of the Road, and going to the DMV to take the drivers test.

I would like my parents to help me achieve this goal.

The steps I need to take to make this happen include:

Have parents take me out on the road to receive the

appropriate hours needed.Review the rules of the road.Go to the DMV and take the

driving and written test.Receive drivers license.

Hey! Watch me cut and prepare a sandwich and some vegetables!

If you thought that was cool, watch me make a burger!

I express myself best through my augmentative communication device called Vantage. I also use gestures, pictures, and sign language to communicate sometimes. I have a lot to say. People just need to give me some time.

When expressing myself, I need to work on starting interactions, using more words to tell my thoughts, taking turns, and using eye contact.

I have been working so hard on learning and using my Vantage Communication Device. I have made awesome progress with it. Look what I can do with it!

What Student Participants Thought about the Project

Item % yes1. I liked looking at choices for what I would like to do after school. 96%

2. I liked finding more about some of the activities that interest me. 100%

3. I feel like I have a better idea of what I would like to do after I graduate from high school.

71%

4. I feel like I will be able to tell other people about what I would like to do. 75%

5. I liked taking pictures and videotaping some of the things that are interesting to me.

83%

6. I liked being able to show what it is I want to do with my life. 92%

7. I think showing people my video made them want to help me reach my goals.

87% (1NR)

8. I think I have a good plan for achieving my dreams. 83% (1NR)

Educational Personnel & Pre-Service Teachers

Rating scale: 1 = Strongly Disagree; 6 = Strongly AgreeM

Educational Staff

MPre-serviceTeachers

1. The training I received on teaching self-determination & self-advocacy skills was helpful.

5 5.7

2. The content in the toolkits/packets were clearly presented. 5.2 5.9

3. I was able to use the forms in the toolkits/packets to assess preferences of students easily.

4.9 5.4

4. I believe I was able to get an accurate picture of the students’ wants and needs through the assessment techniques.

4.8 5.2

5. I feel prepared to teach self-determination and self-advocacy in the future.

4.7 5.3

6. I feel that I can guide youth & their parents/guardians to necessary resources in community.

4.6 5.2

7. I feel prepared to assist youth & their parents/guardians in developing effective transition plans.

4.8 5.1

8. The multimedia component was easy to develop. 4.2 5.5

9. The multimedia presentations made a significant impact on the youths’ abilities to communicate their dreams at their IEP/Transition meetings.

5.4 5.6

10. I will use the information I have learned in the future. 5.5 6

Additional Data Analyses

Pre/Post Surveys on Self-Determination

Pre/Post Technology Surveys

Alignment of IEP goals with students, strengths, interests, preferences, & needs

Parent Evaluations

Projected Outcomes

Develop a model for teaching self-determination and self-advocacy skills to youth with disabilities at the high school level

Provide resources & instructional tools for educational personnel, pre-service educators, & parents to implement instruction on self-determination & self-advocacy for individuals with developmental disabilities

Develop an instructional guide and website for widespread dissemination

Questions

For more information, please contact:Toni Van Laarhoven tvanlaar@niu.edu Or Traci Van Laarhoven-Myers traci_vanlaarhovenmyers@ipsd.org