The College of Education at Wayne State University in collaboration with school districts and state departments of education in Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan and Utah has completed a three year project to train and support special education teachers to implement the Steps to Self-Determination curriculum in their classrooms. The Steps to Self-Determination curriculum is an 18-week instructional program developed for students with and without disabilities at the secondary level. It is based on the self-determination model that includes the following components: Know Yourself, Value Yourself, Plan, Act, Experience Outcomes and Learn (Field & Hoffman, 1994).

This project accomplished five major goals:

Involvement of students, parents staff and adult service agency representatives in the model implementation and planning process

Provision of trainings on the self-determination model to relevant groups

Provision of technical assistance and support throughout the implementation process

Evaluation of all aspects of the project to include;

• Accomplishment of project objectives
• Effectiveness of training and technical assistance efforts and
• Impact of the curriculum implementation on student outcomes

Used unique strategies to disseminate information on a state and national basis.

For more information about this project, please send e-mail to sdtalk@wayne.edu or write to Dr. Sharon Field at Wayne State University, 469 College Of Education, Detroit, MI. 48202.