Self-determination, a widely recognized fundamental human right, plays an essential role in a person’s overall well-being and quality of life (United Nations, 2006; Willow et al., 2024) For individuals who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), the self-determination process -the ability to make choices, set goals, and take action to shape the direction of one’s own life (Wehmeyer, 2004)- is often disrupted. These individuals face persistent and significant barriers (Light et al., 2025) that limit opportunities to develop and express self-determined behaviors, impacting how they engage with their environments, relationships, and future planning.
To better understand where individuals who use AAC are in their self-determination development and to support continued agency and growth, a Self-Determination Continuum (SDC) was developed to address some of the most critical areas for individuals who use AAC. This presentation introduces the SDC as both a conceptual and practical tool designed to support AAC users, their families, service providers, and other team members. It can be used to track progress, identify strengths, and set personalized goals across seven interconnected domains: My Preferences, My Emotions, My Tools, My Accommodations, My Health, My Services, and My Social Life. Each domain reflects a continuum of growth, moving from awareness to more independent and self-directed action.
The SDC is grounded in established self-determination models (The Bridge School, 2022; Field & Hoffman, 1994) with a specific focus on individuals with complex communication needs. It presents an approach to help teams identify and create opportunities for individuals to build self-knowledge, make choices, set goals, plan and act (Wehmeyer, 2004), experience outcomes, and reflect on those experiences to support ongoing growth.
By identifying where individuals who use AAC are in the development of self-determination skills, the SDC encourages AAC users, their families, and others to adopt practices that foster self-directed participation, communication, advocacy, independence, and confidence across all stages of life.
References
Field, S., & Hoffman, A. (1994). Development of a model for self-determination. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 17(2), 159–169. https://doi.org/10.1177/088572889401700205
Light, J., Fager, S. K., Gormley, J., Hyatt, G. W., & Jakobs, E. (2025). Dismantling societal barriers that limit people who need or use AAC: Lived experiences, key research findings, and future directions. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/07434618.2025.2508490
The Bridge School. (2022, August 24). Self-Determination Model – Self-Determination Program. Self-Determination Program; The Bridge School. https://selfdetermined.bridgeschool.org/overview/self-determination-model/
United Nations. (2006). Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. In United Nations. United Nations. https://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/convoptprot-e.pdf
Wehmeyer, M. L. (2004). self-determination and the empowerment of people with disabilities. American Rehabilitation, 28(1), 22–29. ProQuest. https://www.proquest.com/docview/222452145
Willow, S.A., Strnadová, I., & Danker, J. (2024). Developing the self?determination of children and young people with intellectual disabilities in schools: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 37(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.13247
