Why is Self-Determination Important for Students with and without Disabilities in Vocational Education?

The purpose of the study was to determine differences in self-determination between high school students with and without disabilities and to determine the influence of three predictors of self-determination in vocational education: gender, group and grade point average. Research was done by comparing students with the method of pairs. The results show that students with disabilities have a lower level of self-determination than their peers; significant predictors of self-determination are group and grade point average. Results reveal important fields of intervention for self-determination development, especially for students with disabilities in vocational education. This is also the first study of student self-determination in Slovenian vocational education with specific cultural and education background.

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