This study was conducted to determine experiences of southwestern Virginia high school agricultural and special education teachers with regards to the collaboration that may or may not exist between them to enhance the learning of students with special needs (SWD) taking agricultural education classes. It also sought to determine factors that motivate or inhibit collaboration, strategies for overcoming the barriers that may exist, and indicators of effective collaboration between these teachers. The following research questions were answered by conducting the study. 1. What is the status of collaboration between agriculture and special education teachers to enhance inclusion of students with disabilities? 2. What factors exist that either motivate or inhibit collaboration between agriculture and special education teachers with regards to enhancing the inclusion of student with disabilities in agricultural education classes and laboratories? 3. If barriers exist that inhibit collaboration between agriculture and special education teachers, what strategies might be implemented to overcome them? 4. What indicators reveal the establishment and continuation of effective collaboration between agriculture and special education teachers with regards to enhancing SWD learning in agricultural education classrooms and laboratories? The researcher used interviews as the qualitative research tool. Convenience, criterion, and purposeful sampling were used by the researcher to identify participants to best answer the studies' research questions. Overall, collaboration between agricultural and special education teachers did exist. The frequency of collaboration depended on many factors. In most schools the frequency was limited due to a number of barriers. Examples of these barriers included, but were not limited to, lack of knowledge of each teacher regarding the other teacher's discipline, case overload for special education teachers, lack of time provided for collaboration, and the physical distance between the agricultural and special education departments. Examples for overcoming the barriers included, but were not limited to, enhanced communication via technology, creative scheduling to allow for collaboration, and provision of professional development to enhance the knowledge of each teacher regarding the discipline of the other teacher. / Doctor of Philosophy / This study was conducted to determine experiences of southwestern Virginia high school agricultural and special education teachers with regards to the collaboration that may or may not exist between them to enhance the learning of students with special needs (SWD). It also sought to determine factors motivating or inhibiting collaboration, strategies for overcoming the barriers that may exist, and to show indicators of effective collaboration. Sixteen secondary teachers were interviewed by the researcher. Eight secondary agriculture and eight special education teachers were participants. Overall, the working relationship between agriculture and special education teachers did exist. Their working relationship depended on many factors. In most schools, the frequency was limited due to a number of barriers. Examples of these barriers included, but were not limited to, lack of knowledge of each teacher regarding the other teacher's discipline, case overload for special education teachers, lack of time for collaboration, and the physical distance between the agricultural and special education departments. Examples for overcoming the barriers included, but were not limited to, enhanced communication through technology, creative scheduling, and improving training to increase the knowledge of each teacher regarding the discipline of the other teacher.

The objectives of this thesis are as follows: 1. To determine the nature and content of farm credit jobs that are needed in a program of instruction for all-day students, adult evening class members, part-time enrollees, and members of the veterans training program. 2. To secure and organize as reference material the technical material needed in the farm credit course. 3. To organize and work up teaching materials for use by the teacher. It is to be hoped that by the use of this study, knowledge and skills can be developed that will assist farmers in the proper and profitable use of credit. The chief aim is to encourage the application of sound credit principles and to perpetuate a program of teaching the fundamentals of farm credit to farm people. / M.S.

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Multiple-teacher departments of vocational agriculture resulting from consolidations are fairly stable as indicated by the number of years the older departments included in this study had existed. Multiple-teacher departments of vocational agriculture are increasing in number. This conclusion is substantiated by the fact that 10 of the 30 departments studied had become multiple-teacher departments by adding the second teacher at the beginning of the current year. / Master of Science