The focus of this pragmatic qualitative research study was to better understand the collaborative experiences and perceptions of secondary transition practitioners as they work on employment preparation for students with disabilities (SWD). Although there is a plethora of research around collaborative secondary transition efforts over the past few…

This qualitative case study explores how faculty and staff developing a strengths-based pedagogical approach to classroom instruction and assessment for neurodiverse students at one large public research institution describe what teaching approaches support or create barriers for dyslexic students' equity, engagement, and academic success. The…

For over 50 years, providing relevant and individualized instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities (SSCD) has challenged school systems because of the heterogeneity of the population and the complicated nature of their learning characteristics, warranting the implementation of specific instruction using targeted,…

Inclusion is not merely a placement; it is a human right. This qualitative study examined the organizational structures and systems that support the development and sustained implementation of inclusive practices within a large urban school district that has prioritized the transformation from a siloed approach to educating students with…

A qualitative case study approach was employed to explore the perspectives of stakeholders affiliated with an inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) program for students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) in the pacific northwestern United States. Utilizing Artiles' (2009) cultural-historical paradigm, three research…

The outcomes presented in this dissertation were motivated by a scarcity of research that explores self-determination practices explicitly within inclusive classrooms. Three overarching goals motivated my research. The first was to understand what inclusion teachers know and do in relation to self-determination (Chapter 2). The second was to…

This qualitative phenomenological research study used purposive sampling to explore the perceptions of general education teachers who teach children with autism in the general education setting. Furthermore, this research study analyzed the effectiveness of ongoing professional development that general educators that instruct children with autism…

Video Modeling (VM) is one of the most widely used approaches by researchers to improve many skills, such as academic skills in students with Learning Disabilities (LD; Boon et al., 2020). As the incidence rate of individuals with LD in Saudi Arabia increase (Almedlij & Rubinstein-Avila, 2018), the need for evidence-based math interventions…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore K-12 administrators' descriptions of their instructional leadership of teachers serving students with severe disabilities in North Carolina. The principal instructional leadership framework, leader's framework for supporting new special educators, and self-efficacy theory were used…

School administrators are required to serve on Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams, yet many do not have the special education content knowledge and training to successfully participate in the special education process. With the accountability measures enacted by the Every Student Succeeds Act, a school administrator's performance is…

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to understand elementary-level general education teachers' attitudes and efficacy regarding teaching students with disabilities in an inclusion classroom environment. Bandura's self-efficacy theory guided this study of teachers' relationships with their attitudes and…

This phenomenological qualitative study aimed to investigate the perceptions of elementary school general education teachers on the inclusion of students with autism in the general education classroom. The theoretical views of Lev Vygotsky's (1977) social constructivist theory served as the framework for the study. The phenomenon of inclusion is…

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the strategies and interventions that teachers use to support and engage students with Autism in the self-contained classroom. At this stage of the research, support and engagement of Autistic students will be generally defined as the ability to maintain Autistic students' attention,…

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is the central vehicle for school teams and families to develop an individualized program of instruction for students with disabilities. When school teams and families disagree, it can lead to negative results, including due process and mediation (Blackwell & Blackwell, 2015; Mueller & Piantoni,…

A disproportionate number of students from low socio-economic statuses (SES) are enrolled in special education as students with specific learning disabilities (SLD). Despite resources provided through special education, only a small percentage of students are exited before secondary school. This instrumental case study investigated the variables…