Examining the Relationship Between Teacher Perceptions of Implementation of the SDLMI and Student SelfDetermination Outcomes

Oct 15, 2026

This study explored teacher perceptions of their ability to implement the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) with fidelity and the impact of these perceptions on student self-determination outcomes on the Self-Determination Inventory: Student Report (SDI:SR). Using a piece-wise growth model, teacher-perceived implementation showed stability across two years. Mediation analyses revealed a complex link: beginning-of-year student self-determination influenced teacher-perceived fidelity, which then affected end-of-year self-determination, indicating an interactive relationship.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Keywords

Implementation science and fidelity

Self-monitoring and implementer perceptions

SDLMI as an evidence-based practice

Research questions on teacher perceptions

Examining the Relationship Between Teacher Perceptions of Implementation of the SDLMI and Student SelfDetermination Outcomes Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals 2020, Vol. 43(1) 53–63 © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2019 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[DOI: 10.1177/2165143419887855](DOI: 10.1177/2165143419887855)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/2165143419887855)[cdtei.sagepub.com](cdtei.sagepub.com) Karrie A. Shogren, PhD 1, Kathryn M. Burke, PhD 1, Mark H. Anderson, MA 1, Anthony Antosh, EdD2, Terri LaPlante, MEd2, and Tyler Hicks, PhD 1 Abstract This study explored teacher perceptions of their ability to implement the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) with fidelity and the impact of these perceptions on student self-determination outcomes on the Self-Determination Inventory: Student Report (SDI:SR). Using a piece-wise growth model, we found stability in teacher perceptions of their implementation over a 2-year period even with the introduction of a second transition-focused intervention to a subset of the sample. Using a mediation model, we then found a complex relationship between teacher perceptions of fidelity and student outcomes on the SDI:SR. We found that teacher-perceived fidelity over the course of the year was influenced by students’ beginning of the year self-determination status and that teacher-perceived fidelity then affected students’end of the year self-determination status. The findings suggest an interactive relationship between teacher perceptions of implementation and student outcomes. Implications for research and practice are discussed. Keywords self-determination, low-incidence, disabilities, high school, education Establishing the efficacy of instructional practices alone is insufficient to address the research-to-practice gap (Fixsen, Blase, Duda, Naoom, & Van Dyke, 2010) . Implementation science has emerged in response to this need and is defined as“the scientific study of methods to promote the systematic uptake of research findings and other evidence-based practices into routine practices”(Eccles & Mittman, 2006, p. 1) . To study implementation, it is necessary to analyze the factors that enable the sustained use of an evidence-based practice (EBP) given that implementation of a practice is different than choosing or establishing the evidence for a practice (Fixsen et al., 2010) . One factor that influences the impact and sustainability of an adopted intervention on outcomes is the degree to which interventionists are able to implement the practice with fidelity (Cook & Odom, 2013) . The assessment of fidelity is often, particularly in research studies, completed by external observers to document that degree to which interventions are implemented as intended. However, implementer self-perceptions oftheir implementation derived from self-monitoring data provide another perspective that has been, in a limited body of research, shown to be correlated with changes in implementation and outcomes (Rispoli et al., 2017) . As such, more work is needed to examine the degree to which implementers perceive themselves as capable of implementing complex interventions, the factors that influence self-perceptions, and the association of these perceptions with student outcomes as this could have implications for training and coaching supports for implementers. Fidelity of implementation is generally understood to be composed of multiple dimensions, including adherence, exposure, quality, participant responsiveness, and program differentiation and information (Dane & Schneider, 1998; Durlak & DuPre, 2008; Dusenbury, Brannigan, Falco, & Hansen, 2003). A variety of means to promote fidelity have been described in the literature, including high-quality training on implementation procedures, a clear implementation manual, self-monitoring of implementation, and inst

FAQs

What does the study examine about SDLMI implementation?

It examines teachers’ perceptions of their ability to implement SDLMI with fidelity and how those perceptions relate to student self-determination outcomes.

How stable were teacher perceptions over time?

Teacher perceptions of implementation fidelity were found to be stable over a two-year period, even after introducing a second transition-focused intervention to part of the sample.

What relationship was found between teacher-perceived fidelity and student outcomes?

The mediation model showed a complex, interactive pattern: students’ beginning-of-year self-determination influenced teacher-perceived fidelity, which then affected students’ end-of-year self-determination.

Oct 15, 2026

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