An Examination of Goals Set by Secondary Students: Relationships Between Goal Type and Goal Attainment by Disability Status and Race/Ethnicity

Abstract

Students with disabilities continue to experience disparities in school and postschool outcomes compared with their peers without disabilities. These disparities are further exacerbated for students of color with disabilities. Previous studies have demonstrated associations of self-determination with positive academic, goal attainment, and other transition outcomes. However, differences may exist by race/ethnicity with regard to the operational definition of self-determination, and systemic racism and ableism in schools can impact the enactment of self-determination. Thus, interventions for promoting self-determination aligned with students’ needs and values are required to mitigate systemic barriers that impede student outcomes. To inform this need, the present study analyzed data derived using the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI), an evidence-based, multicomponent intervention, to examine differences in goal setting and attainment for students with and without disabilities by race/ethnicity in inclusive secondary education classes. The results demonstrate differences in the types of academic goals set by students with and without disabilities by race/ethnicity using the SDLMI and in student–teacher ratings of goal attainment by teacher race and student race/ethnicity. Implications for research and practice are discussed.