The document summarizes research on strategies used to promote self-awareness among students with disabilities at a rural high school. It finds that while teachers believe self-awareness is important, students have varying levels of understanding of their disabilities. The researcher surveyed teachers and alumni to identify current strategies, finding that teachers discuss disabilities informally but want more training, and that students could be more involved in goal-setting. The study recommends asking students directly about their disabilities, involving students more in IEPs, and providing teachers additional professional development on self-awareness.

1. STRATEGIES USED TO
PROMOTE SELF AWARENESS
Brittany Dyer
SED 699
University of Southern Maine
Spring 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013

2. PURPOSE
Students I have talked to do not know their disability.
Self awareness is important because it creates good self advocates.
Before the project, I knew that self awareness, self determination, and self
advocacy are related.
I wanted to know if teachers and alumni think that students are self aware of
their disability, and what strategies teachers are using to promote self
awareness
Intended Audience: special education and regular education teachers,
administration, and service providers.
I hoped to discover new strategies I can use in my classroom and have a
collection of teachers’ ideas.
Monday, April 29, 2013

3. RESEARCH QUESTION
What strategies are teachers at a rural
high school using to help students with
exceptionalities be self aware of their
disability?
Monday, April 29, 2013

4. SETTING AND SAMPLE
Setting: rural high school in Maine.The school
holds grades 8-12, but the study is based on high
school, which is grades 9-12.
Sample:
81 9th-12th grade regular education and special
education teachers
7 alumni
Monday, April 29, 2013

5. DATA COLLECTION TOOLS
teacher survey (yes and no questions, likert scale
questions, and open-ended questions)
alumni survey (yes and no questions, likert scale
questions, and open-ended questions)
teacher interview (with extra questions for special
education teachers)
alumni interview
Monday, April 29, 2013

6. DATA COLLECTION
Teacher surveys and consent forms were turned into my staff mailbox.
Alumni surveys and consent forms were mailed to teacher’s school
mailbox.
Validity: given to all teachers (both special ed and regular ed)
All teachers who marked consent for interviews on their consent forms
were contacted by email for interview.
Surveys were immediately separated from consent forms when received.
Monday, April 29, 2013

7. DATA ANNALYSIS
Surveys:
Quantitative data (yes and no, and likert scale questions): Surveys were
separated in piles one question at a time. A chart was created and
answers were indicated with tallies.
Qualitative data (open ended questions): Data was put into a chart with
two columns. In one column, the answers were written word for word,
and the other column was left blank for notes and coding.
Interviews:
Interviews were scribed word-for-word into one column, with a second
column left blank for note taking. Important quotes were highlighted.
Separate document was created for coding, in which data was organized
by question for themes.
Monday, April 29, 2013

8. RESULTS
Teacher Survey: 16 participants (19.75%) 9 regular ed.
and 7 special ed.
Teacher Interview: 6 participants, 3 regular ed. and 3
special ed.
Alumni Survey: 3 participants (42.86%)
Alumni Interview: 1 participant
Monday, April 29, 2013

9. TEACHER SURVEY RESULTS
Question Said Yes Said No Other Answer
I know what
self awareness
is in terms of
students with
disabilities.
Total: 14
Reg Ed: 7
Sped: 7
Total: 2
Reg Ed: 2
Sped: 0
Self
Awareness is
part of my
curriculum.
Total: 4
Reg Ed: 0
Sped: 4
Total: 10
Reg Ed: 8
Sped: 2
1 circled both
(Reg ed)
1 wrote
“N/A” (Sp.ed)
Self
Awareness is
part of my
formal and
informational
conversations
with students.
Total: 12
Reg Ed: 5
Sped: 7
Total: 4
Reg Ed: 4
Sped: 0
Question 1 Disagree 2 Slightly
Disagree
3 Neutral 4 Slightly
Agree
5 Agree NS Not Sure
In general, the
students I work
with know their
disability.
Total: 1
Red Ed:0
Sped: 1
Total: 1
Reg Ed: 0
Sped: 1
Total: 2
Reg Ed: 2
Sped: 0
Total: 6
Reg Ed: 3
Sped: 3
Total: 5
Reg Ed: 3
Sped: 2
Total: 1
Reg Ed: 1
Sped: 0
I think it is
important that
students I work
with know their
disability.
Total: 1
Reg Ed: 1
Sped: 0
Total: 3
Reg Ed: 2
Sped: 1
Total: 12
Reg Ed: 6
Sped: 6
In general, the
students I work
with know their
own strengths
and weaknesses.
Total: 3
Reg Ed: 2
Sped: 1
Total: 4
Reg Ed: 2
Sped: 2
Total: 6
Reg Ed: 3
Sped: 3
Total: 2
Reg Ed: 2
Sped: 0
1 circled 3 and
4 (Sped)
I think it is
important for the
students I work
with to know
their own
strengths and
weaknesses.
Total: 1
Reg Ed: 1
Sped: 0
Total: 15
Reg Ed: 8
Sped: 7
Monday, April 29, 2013

10. Definition of Self Awareness:
•8 teachers mentioned strengths and
weaknesses
•5 teachers mentioned knowing one’s
own disability
Strategies:
•threat scales
•projects
•10 things you want your teacher to
know about you
•autobiographical projects (CD of
songs about student)
•research about disability
•pointing out when a student is
successful with a task
•pointing out when a student is having
difficulty with a task
•discussing strengths and weaknesses
at IEP meetings
•informal conversations with class
•conversations with individual
students
•reviewing IEPs with students
•encouraging students to self advocate
•differentiate
•disability unit
•use of popular culture depicting
people with disabilities and discussing
validity
•Read books with characters with
disability or “flaws” and how they
overcome obstacles.
•explaining to students why they are
learning what they are learning
Monday, April 29, 2013

11. TEACHER INTERVIEW
RESULTS:THEMES
Disabilities:
•Aspergers,Autism,ADHD, LD,TBI and
ED
Definition of self awareness:
•4/6 said strengths and weaknesses.
•One regular ed. teacher never heard the
term
•“Understanding their own limitations.
Them being able to recognize situations
that they know they are going to struggle
in, but also being able to recognize those
skills they have learned to be able to get
through those situations.”
Who is responsible for teaching
it?:
•4 mentioned case managers, 3 special
ed. staff, 3 parents, 2 regular ed. teachers.
Have you ever asked students if
they know their disability?
•4/6 said “no”
Is self awareness important to
curriculum?
•All teachers agree it is important.
•However, they feel that it is not
important in regular education, that it
does not need to be direct, and that they
need more understanding of the term.
Monday, April 29, 2013

12. Professional Development:
•1/6 have had professional
development in self awareness
•“I think the school could stand, and I
have talked to different people about
this, some more special ed training.
Because we, I mean there is so much
knowledge that really isn’t there.”
Discussions about Disabilities:
• 2 out of 6 do not have whole
classroom discussions.
•All 6 have individual conversations
with students.
Goals about Self Awareness/
Advocacy:
•All special ed. teachers said “yes”
Projects about IEP?
•All special ed. teachers said “no”
Strategies:
•pointing out when a student succeeds
at a task.
•creating a coat of arms, which
includes students strengths and
weakness
•creating a song playlist about their
lives
•addressing weaknesses and practicing
(ex: reading)
•employability unit
Self Awareness Unit?:
•All said “no”
Other Strategies?
•“I guess it’s mostly when I turn it back
on myself, when I am not being afraid
to fail at something in front of them”
Monday, April 29, 2013

13. ALUMNI SURVEY RESULTS
Question Yes No
I have a
disability.
3
I received
special
education
services in
school.
3
I know what
disability I have.
2 1
I know what the
physical, mental,
emotional
characteristics of
my disability
are.
2 1
Question 1 Disagree 2 Slightly
Disagree
3 Neutral 4 Slightly Agree 5 Agree N/S Not Sure
My case manager
talked to me about
my disability.
1 2
Another special
education teacher
talked to me about
my disability
1 2
My regular
education teacher
talked to me about
my disability.
1 2
I had a clear
understa-nding of
what my disability
is
2 1
I know my
strengths and
weaknes-ses as a
learner.
1 1 1
Monday, April 29, 2013

14. Definition of self awareness:
• 2/3 mentioned strengths and weaknesses
•“Self awareness is to understand your own strengths
and weaknesses, and how to overcome the latter.To be
self aware, you must understand that while your disability
isn’t your fault, you must learn to work hard to both
make up for your disabilities and help others help you.To
be self aware is to not be ashamed of yourself, no matter
how much the world may want you to be.” Another
student said,“I don’t know”.
Monday, April 29, 2013

15. ALUMNI INTERVIEW RESULTS
Do you know your disability?:
•no
Did you have special ed.
services in high school?:
•“I don’t know”
Who talked to students
about their disability?:
•teacher
Classroom discussions?:
•yes
•didn’t participate
What can teachers do to
make sure kids are self
aware?:
•“tell them more”
Monday, April 29, 2013

16. FINDINGS AND
CONCLUSIONS
Teachers think that self awareness is important.
Students tend to know what their disabilities are, but
not all know what they mean.
Teachers are talking to their students about self
awareness.
Teachers are assigning work and projects promoting
self awareness.
Teachers want and need more education on self
awareness.
Monday, April 29, 2013

17. IMPLICATIONS
Suggestions:
•Ask students about their disability more often.
• Students should participate more in goal and IEP writing.
• more group discussions
• more professional development for teachers
Further Research:
•more student interviews
• compare school districts on how they are educating their staff
• observe classes
Monday, April 29, 2013

18. QUESTIONS?
Monday, April 29, 2013