Background/Purpose Self-determination is important to the education of students with a disability (Wehmeyer, 2007). The Self-Determination Scale for Physical Education (SDS-PE) was designed to assess physical education teachers' use of related instructional strategies. Wehmeyer's (2007) four-factor model of self-determination was used as the guiding framework for the instrument. The purpose of the present research was to provide evidence of validity for the scale by determining the extent to which SDS-PE responses reflected actual teacher behaviour.
Method Fourteen teachers completed the SDS-PE and were subsequently observed and videotaped while instructing three physical education classes. A self-determination score based on their teaching was calculated with the Self-Determination Observation Instrument.
Analysis/Results Comparison of survey and observation scores revealed a significant Pearson-Product Moment correlation of r = .49.
Conclusions The SDS-PE demonstrates a moderate ability to reflect teachers' self-determination practices. Implications of the findings are discussed.