Students with learning disabilities (LD) have not kept pace with peers without disabilities regarding enrollment in postsecondary education. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of I’m Determined youth leaders with LD who have enrolled in higher education. Participation led to structured experiences and opportunities to practice self-determined behaviors in an environment built to support the development of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The three major themes identified (struggle, community, and resilience) corresponded with experiences before, during, and after participation in I’m Determined. The major theme of struggle encompassed experiences at school and not understanding their disability. The theme of community affected participants in the context of disability awareness and opportunity. Resilience necessitated a change in mindset and the ability to overcome barriers. Altering classroom environments to support autonomy, competence, and relatedness is one way to reproduce the supports that led to these participants’ success.

有学习障碍 (LD) 的学生在中学后教育的入学率方面没有跟上没有残疾的同龄人。本研究的目的是探讨已就读高等教育的 LD 青年领袖的经历。参与带来了结构化的经验和机会，在为支持自主性、能力和相关性的发展而建立的环境中实践自我决定的行为。确定的三个主要主题（斗争、社区和复原力）与参与“我已下定决心”之前、期间和之后的经历相对应。奋斗的主旋律包含在学校的经历，不了解他们的残疾。在残疾意识和机会的背景下，社区的主题影响了参与者。复原力需要改变思维方式和克服障碍的能力。改变课堂环境以支持自主性、能力和相关性是重现导致这些参与者成功的支持的一种方式。