An inclusive classroom requires special and general education teachers to collaborate to facilitate the learning of students with disabilities. Often, the collaboration between special and general education teachers is ineffective due to the misunderstanding of roles, superiority, conflicts, and teaching strategies. These concerns inhibit the…

Special education teachers who provide educational opportunities for students in low-incidence programs within a Southern urban public school system in the United States faced challenges when trying to promote independence. The purpose of this project study was to understand the perceptions of teachers and the approaches they seek to best support…

Co-teaching as a service delivery model requires a special education teacher and a general education teacher to efficiently and effectively collaborate in the same classroom, providing support to students with disabilities in the general education setting. With the vast changes and demands of the educator and the student population in today's…

Collaboration is an essential skill for a special education teacher's (SETs) success in developing individualized education programs (IEPs) to ensure that students with disabilities have access to equal educational opportunities. Collaboration occurs when members of an inclusive learning community work together as equals to meet a student's…

This study explored the self-efficacy of secondary general and special education teachers when teaching students with a specific learning disability in reading (SLDR) and using content area texts and resources. It investigated whether differences existed among high school general and special education teachers, between teachers of various content…

To strengthen inclusion practices in schools, a mandate was passed requiring special education teachers working at the middle and high school levels to become content certified. The purpose of this research study was to examine the outcome the content/dual certification mandate had on special education teachers' roles in co-taught inclusion…

Since the establishment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975, implementing special education services has become more vast and complex for special education teachers. Their immense job responsibilities have them feeling varying levels of occupational burnout and stress. The purpose of this qualitative study, employing…

This project study focused on the writing and implementation of the transition plan that gives students with disabilities the proper guidelines and tools to help them in life after high school. Guided by the human capital theory in education, the purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how high school special education teachers…

The four-day school model is gaining popularity in rural districts across the United States. The four-day model has been touted as a model that produces benefits for rural communities. The four-day school week has been cited as creating benefits as well as consequences, however, there is limited research into the area of special education. The…

As the numbers of multilingual learners with disabilities increase in classrooms across the country and the achievement gap between multilingual learners with disabilities and their typical peers continues to widen, more research is needed to learn more about how teachers and administrators can support multilingual learners with disabilities. This…

This dissertation investigated the relationship between mindset and self-efficacy among special education teachers in Region 2 of Texas. While approximately 500,000 students are provided special education services in Texas public schools, special education students perform significantly lower on state assessments in reading and math than their…

Special education teachers have a multitude of responsibilities. The variety of tasks special educators have could impact the time spent implementing instruction. Hence, this qualitative descriptive research aimed to understand how ECSETs describe their interactions with a school-based coach and become reflective practitioners. The two components…

Student enrollment in K-12 blended learning classes, including for students with disabilities, has steadily increased in the last decade and is likely to continue post pandemic. Although more K-12 students with disabilities are accessing blended learning opportunities, how special education itinerant teachers (SEITs) engage students with…

Strong classroom management skills are the foundation of effective teaching and learning. However, most teachers enter the field unprepared to manage classroom behavior. Many teacher preparation programs offer preservice teachers limited coursework and fieldwork experiences focused on developing classroom management practices. The lack of training…

Teacher education programs strive to promote social justice and critical thinking among candidates. However, limited attention is given to ableism and disability rights. This study investigates how special education teacher candidates discuss disabilities and the future of students with developmental disabilities, as well as their motivation to…