One of the best ways to build self determination skills is to give students opportunities to make choices and take ownership. Students with vision impairments are often given few opportunities to make decisions and take control of the choices they make. Furthermore, because they may be unable to visually observe the activities around them, students are frequently unaware of the options available to them.
This activity is a fun way to get students’ feet wet with decision-making by allowing them to pick an activity to participate in. However, this activity goes a step further by requiring students to participate in the planning of the activity. Through this planning, students are taking ownership. They are learning about the ability to take control of a situation. The responsibility they are taking on empowers them to understand the positive results of their actions and participation. These skills will be useful for students as they continue to build self-determination to make important decisions as they transition to adulthood.