Since the 1940's, the United States has opened its doors for international students to study and gain knowledge and skills within its borders. However, there are considerable concerns about the integration of these international students and their participation in the classroom. Most international students hail from different cultural and social backgrounds and they are often met with challenges that impede their academic performance and participation in class. It is against this backdrop that this study explores factors that influence undergraduate male Saudi students' participation in American university classrooms by examining their perceptions of classroom participation. This study employs a qualitative case study approach with multiple participants to address the research questions. Participants included eight undergraduate Saudi students at a single HBCU in the southern U.S. Data collection techniques included individual interviews, a focus group interview, and artifacts. The results show that language barriers, cultural differences, teaching methods, background knowledge, social context, personality, and other factors, such as interest in the subject, significantly influence student participation in the classroom. [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.]