Despite the preponderance of scholarly literature advocating the benefits of including students with disabilities in general education, students with ESN continue to be educated in restrictive settings. Limited research exists on how to facilitate access to inclusive opportunities in these segregated self-contained settings, yet this is primarily…

This dissertation explores the perceptions of student-teacher relationships among students with emotional disabilities held by general and special education teachers in inclusive and self- contained settings. This research explores how teacher groups perceive these student--teacher relationships within both learning environments and to what extent…

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…

In an urban school district in the southwestern United States, students with emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBD) who were in third- through fifth-grade self-contained classes were not consistently transitioning successfully into inclusive classrooms; therefore, the students were remaining in a restrictive environment for an extended time.…

Over the years, many special education trends have emerged and faded, each claiming to be the solution to providing students with special needs a greater chance for success. Each year, new requirements for graduation and new educational legislation are introduced to try and correct old problems of ensuring students with special needs are properly…

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused uncertainty in major aspects of national and global society. This pandemic has had an extreme impact on education. Since March, 2020, the education system has changed drastically. Schools, educators, families, and students are experiencing unprecedented times and are finding a way to navigate and determine the best…

Attrition among educators is a continuing concern in the area of special education. Job satisfaction has been associated with teacher burnout and teacher attrition. Many times, multiple educators work in a close environment creating a need for community in special education. The purpose of this study is to identify differences in job satisfaction…

The education of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in less restrictive environments (LRE) continues to be a focus and challenge for administrators and educators. This population of students often exhibit maladaptive behaviors severe enough to warrant change of placement to a restrictive environment. The Individuals with…

The purpose of this observation study was to identify vocabulary instruction provided to students with Learning Disabilities (LD) and English Learners with LD (dual identified) across seventh and eighth-grade inclusion and self-contained English language arts, science, and social studies classes. The study focused on the amount of time observed on…

This qualitative descriptive study focused on teachers and school leader's perspectives on the efficacy of culturally responsive inclusion and culturally responsive self-contained settings on the achievement of students with special needs in urban school districts. Despite a growing body of literature on the necessity for schools and districts to…

Developmentally appropriate practices aim to promote success in students and provide a framework for teaching for teachers (NAEYC, 2009). These developmentally appropriate practices are found in research and support the growth and development of young children. One of the most important developmentally appropriate practices for the birth to 8…

Children with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) are failing academically, despite the availability of educational, financial, and medical resources for them. This could be explained by the reliance of educational processes on traditional direct instruction that leads to poor academic performance of students with AS. Classroom format and environment are…

Children with social skills deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication can face a variety of social challenges in many aspects of their lives. Given the increasing social needs of many students in today's classrooms, there is a need for increased social skills instruction and support in public schools. Inclusion opportunities in public schools…

An important area of emphasis on educational research over the past several years has been the impact of classroom placement on students with disabilities. Although recent research has indicated that students in substantially separate classrooms often perceive their teachers and classmates as significantly more emotionally supportive than students…

Current educational policies that have articulated from IDEA are driving the adoption of inclusionary practices in schools. These policies present challenges to general education, secondary education, and dual-licensed teachers at the secondary level. Secondary general education teachers may lack the pedagogical knowledge necessary to accommodate…