Self-determination and young children

The development of self-determination in individuals with severe disabilities is recognized as a critical goal for special education. Although increasing attention is being paid to this subject, efforts to date have focused largely on adolescents and young adults. It is highly unlikely that the characteristics associated with self-determination suddenly emerge in adolescence. This article calls attention to the need to look at the early roots of self-determination from a developmental point of view and examines the relationship of selected practices in early childhood special education to skills associated with self-determination. Curriculum and instructional approaches that appear to support the foundations of self-determination are discussed.