Shana's Story: The Struggles, Quandaries and Pitfalls Surrounding Self-determination

Abstract

This qualitative research study explores the concept of self-determination as experienced by an African American woman labeled with a disability in an educational setting. When articulated as a particular set of skills to be acquired, this study found that the democratic intent of self-determination was undermined.  In this case, self-determination became the antithesis of the movement's intent, instead resembling a process of normalization. Employing poetry to illuminate the participant’s experiences, this research draws attention to the quandaries that arise when self-determination is enacted via a technical-rational instructional paradigm.