The purpose of my study was to develop a grounded theory of the underlying social processes and/or other ecological factors that impact the effectiveness of skill acquisition for students with emotional and/or behavioral disorders (EBD) in "sister" cities located in the United States (Site One) and in Norway (Site Two). Theory development was based on in-depth investigation of 10 students with EBD, five at each research site. This study looked at ecological factors impacting the learning of a new social skill, the socialization skills of students with EBD, and differences in skill acquisition between the two research sites. Based on the findings of this study, three broad conclusions are offered: (1) Students identified as having EBD at both research sites had difficulty in learning and utilizing a new social skill. (2) A completely inclusive school setting for students with EBD and a completely separate school setting for students with EBD are both ineffective. (3) Surface behaviors were addressed instead of the causes of emotional and/or behavioral disorders. Recommendations were made for those involved in the educational process of students with EBD and for those interested in conducting further research. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]