A professional learning community (PLC) is designed to increase pedagogical knowledge and encourage collaboration amongst teachers. Many schools are using a variety of PLCs to increase collaboration and improve teaching and learning. The study school implemented a PLC, but collaboration and effective coteaching practice have not improved. Guided by social constructivism and social cognitive learning theories, the goal of this research was to explore coteachers' perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs about the overall effectiveness of the PLC coteaching model to improve instructional strategies. A qualitative case study with semistructured interviews to collect data and a narrative analysis for reporting was utilized. The population was limited to 5 general and 4 special education teachers. A hand analysis method was used to identify and code recurring themes before using thick description to report the findings. The findings showed that the teachers perceived an ineffective PLC implementation, a lack of coteaching training and collaboration, and a lack of administrative support. Improvements in these areas are needed to boost the effectiveness of the coteaching model. The findings from this study led to a project consisting of a series of professional development workshops for coteachers and school leaders. The goal of the project is to eliminate barriers to coteaching practice and create an effective PLC. This study may bring about positive social change by providing insight into understanding how an effective PLC, administrative supportive, and meaningful professional development can enhance coteaching practice. This knowledge can provide school leaders with insight to make adaptations to coteaching practice that may lead to positive student learning outcomes.

The research problem in this study involved the student cycling, or recidivism, problem associated with specialized education environments. In particular, alternative education students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are cycling in and out of alternative and regular education at a concerning frequency. This student recidivism problem affects the services of teachers who are trying to transform them into permanent regular education learners. The purpose of this study was to obtain specific information from these teachers, via the research questions, as it applies to the theoretical foundation of Bandura's self-efficacy construct, and methodological design of the study. The qualitative method of the study used a phenomenological approach and leadership model to obtain the lived experiences, thus, the perceptions and opinions, of the 10 interviewed teachers experiencing the student cycling problem. A continuous iterative process and constant comparative analysis with inductive analyses of significant statements was used to analyze the data. The study results revealed that the complex study problem affects self-efficacy, thus, their belief in the ability to effectively teach these students. Because nearly 4 decades have passed since Bandura introduced the construct of self-efficacy beliefs, it suggests that teachers' efficacy beliefs are related to their instructional practices and various student outcomes. This study helps to fill in the knowledge gaps within specialized education and attempts to bring teacher-voiced positive social change to the teaching profession and its services particularly within alternative education.

The question of which strategies for teaching daily living skills (DLS) are most effective for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) requires increased attention. Special education elementary teachers may not have the instructional strategies necessary to teach DLS to students with ASD. DLS instruction for students with ASD is important because these skills are essential to functioning in school as well as society. The aim of this study was to identify elementary special education teachers' perceptions about their ability to teach DLS to students with ASD. The study's conceptual framework was rooted in a synthesis of ideas from current refereed literature, along with Bandura's social cognitive theory. Purposeful sampling identified 10 participants for individual interviews. Findings indicated 2 themes that emerged from Bandura's (1993) self-efficacy theory: lack of competency to teach DLS and teachers' beliefs about DLS instruction. Thematic and open coding indicated the following themes: lack of time, lack of administrative support in formally addressing DLS deficits, and strategies influencing DLS acquisition. The results indicated that special education elementary teachers did not feel efficacious about their ability to teach DLS to students with ASD and did not feel that they had time and support to provide DLS instruction to students with ASD. This study suggests a need for ongoing, sustainable professional development opportunities for special education teachers related to teaching DLS to students with ASD. Social change implications include improved teacher practice focused on increasing DLS performance for students with ASD so that they will be able to independently perform DLS in various environments, along with increased awareness and comprehension of the value of teacher voice in DLS instructional practices for students with ASD. From ProQuest: https://search.proquest.com/docview/1964903175/.

High school administrators in a rural school district were providing transition planning to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in order to meet postschool transition goals. Despite these efforts, few students with ASD were employed or enrolled in postsecondary training, and parents reported that they were dissatisfied with the postschool transition process. The purpose of this collective case study was to explore parental and staff perceptions of the postschool transition processes of students with ASD to increase the understanding of the practice related to postschool transitions. Guided by Tinto and Pusser's institutional framework, research questions were focused on the experiences of parents and staff, including teachers and support personnel, with the postschool transition process of students with ASD. A purposeful sample of 25 participants, including the first 10 parents of students with ASD who applied and the staff who supported them, were interviewed. Teachers were also observed during the postschool transition process. Archival postschool transition survey data were also analyzed. Themes were identified through application of open coding and thematic analysis to interviews, observations, and survey data and included: parents and teachers need support [reference guide and professional development (PD)] and stakeholder collaboration is crucial to success even though time is a constraint and skills prioritization is evident in Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Teachers used IEPs to guide the postschool transition process, but parental concerns remained. Therefore, a PD for teachers and reference guide for parents were created for the local site to improve parental trust of the postschool transition process for students with ASD.

African American students are 4 times more likely to be placed in special education than are their European American peers. The purpose of the study was to determine whether the application of professional development (PD) would change teachers' attitudes toward African American students who were achieving below grade level. Teachers in one school district received PD; the teachers in a separate school district did not receive PD. Bandura's social learning theory and Kunjufu's Afrocentric curriculum served as the theoretical framework. A preexperimental design and a static group comparison were used. The sample comprised 83 teachers, with 52 (63%) from the school district that received PD and 31 (37%) from the other school district. An amended version of the 21-item Teacher Attitude Survey, which measures teachers' attitudes toward low-achieving students, PD, and special education, was given to both groups after the treatment was applied to the first school district. Survey results were used to test 4 hypotheses: (a) There were no differences in teachers' attitudes toward achievement by district, (b) the amount of training on cultural sensitivity did not relate to teachers' attitudes toward achievement, (c) there were no differences in the average number of students referred to special education for each teacher by district, and (d) the amount of training on cultural sensitivity did not relate to the number of students referred to special education. Spearman's rho, t tests, and Mann-Whitney U test were applied. All but Null Hypothesis 3 failed to be rejected. Implications for positive social change begin with educating teachers about the effect of attitudes on the academic futures of African American students. Engagement in PD will begin the work of ensuring equity for all students in public education in the United States.

Research indicates a connection between successful outcomes for students with significant intellectual disabilities and the individual education program (IEP) team's efforts in the IEP development process. However, little research has been conducted on the perceptions of parents and teachers of students with significant disabilities about parent participation in the IEP development process. Therefore, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore parent and teacher perceptions of parent participation in the IEP development process. The conceptual framework of this study was ecological design theory, based on Bronfenbrenner's theory of human development and Neal and Neal's theory of networked systems. Participants consisted of 4 parents and 5 teachers of students with significant intellectual disabilities who have participated in the IEP development process. The interviews conducted with participants were analyzed for patterns and themes. Findings showed that teacher descriptions centered on actions connected with fulfillment of state guidelines, which create the setting in which the IEP development takes place. Parent participants acknowledged compliance to state guidelines based on teacher actions, but parent commentary was centered on elements of the parent-teacher relationship. Responses indicated that actions to strengthen the school-parent partnership may improve parent and teacher experiences of IEP development. This study contributes to positive social change by providing administrators and teachers information to better support the IEP development process toward improved outcomes for students with significant intellectual disabilities.

Learning disabled (LD) students are put in inclusion classrooms in order to experience the mainstream environment and to receive the same level of education as their regular education counterparts. Unfortunately, LD students do not always get the mathematics education that they deserve because inclusion mathematics teachers are not required to be highly qualified in mathematics. The focus of this study was on the relationship between mathematics anxiety and self-efficacy of inclusion teachers and the academic achievement of the LD students they serve. The theoretical framework of this study involved the concepts of student achievement, teacher efficacy, mathematics anxiety, and best practices in teaching. The research questions of this study involved understanding the impact of inclusion teachers' mathematics anxiety and mathematics self-efficacy on the mathematics achievement of LD students. A quantitative survey design was used, and data were collected from 15 volunteered participating inclusion math teachers using the Learning Mathematics Anxiety subscale; the Personal Mathematics Teaching Efficacy subscale; a demographic questionnaire; and students' school level state standardized test scores and end-of-course final average in Geometry, Trigonometry, Algebra I, or Algebra II. Regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between the variables of mathematics teachers' anxiety, mathematics teachers' self-efficacy, and student achievement. The findings of this study revealed that inclusion teachers' mathematics anxiety and teaching efficacy did not significantly predict mathematics achievement of LD students. The implication for social change is that further research that includes variables other than teacher mathematics anxiety and teaching efficacy is needed to understand mathematics performance of learning disabled students.

Evidence suggests that current special education teacher evaluation systems may not accurately reflect these teachers' unique duties and responsibilities. In a Midwestern, urban school district, the teacher evaluation system was not adequately aligned with the performance expectations of special education teachers. Guided by Danielson's framework for teaching, this qualitative case study explored elementary school principals' perceptions of teacher evaluation approaches, perceived effectiveness of these approaches, applications of key indicators of teaching quality, and barriers preventing accurate evaluations of special education teachers' performance. An online survey comprised of closed- and open-ended questions was distributed to 445 principals in the district with 97 responding. Descriptive analysis of closed-ended items indicated 70% of respondents perceived current evaluation methods to be insufficiently differentiated for special education teachers' roles and 90% reported a need for additional measures of effectiveness to be used. Thematic analysis of open-ended survey responses confirmed the need for differentiated evaluation approaches to address a misalignment of key effectiveness indicators for special education teachers and revealed barriers to accurate evaluation including resource constraints. In response to these findings, a position paper with policy recommendation prescribed the revision of the current teacher evaluation practices to address the unique roles of special education teachers. Refining special education teacher evaluation practices may contribute to positive social change by aligning the evaluation process with special education teachers' duties and responsibilities, thereby improving teacher performance and potentially increasing student achievement over time.

Paraprofessionals often constitute the primary support system for special education students and are core members of special education instructional teams. Therefore, the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act requires that paraprofessionals receive adequate training, including training in evidence-based practices (EBP). However, paraprofessionals often do not obtain the training and professional development they need to become qualified. The unpreparedness of paraprofessionals may lead to discouraging student outcomes. Informed by social constructivism, the purpose of this exploratory case study was to understand the perspectives of 6 special education administrators, 5 special education teachers, and 1 special education paraprofessional on paraprofessionals' implementation of EBP and the status of EBP training for paraprofessionals. Purposely, and within the context of organizational sociocultural conditions, this study queried the perspectives of the participants in the purposeful sample on paraprofessional experience and training in EBP. During exploratory data analysis, open coding was used to analyze data thematically and identify central sociocultural themes. There was 1 overarching theme (organizational contexts of EBP implementation), 4 major subthemes (resources for EBP implementation, intrinsic attributes of professionals implementing EBP, extrinsic attributes of professionals implementing EBP, and acknowledging and valuing the role and importance of paraprofessionals tasked with implementing EBP), and several minor subthemes. This study may result in implementation of a yearlong paraprofessional professional development project, increased understanding and implementation of EBP, expansion of professional learning communities (PLC), and improvement of student outcomes.

Adolescent students with psychiatric disorders who are educated in day treatment school classrooms manifest cognitive limitations, maladaptive behaviors, and social functioning deficits that often lead to academic failure, impeding their productivity when they become adults and causing them to run afoul of the criminal justice system. Informed by their students' interests and perspectives, day treatment schoolteachers can individualize existing curricular and behavioral interventions, or develop alternatives so that unwanted classroom behaviors decrease and academic performance improves. This qualitative case study used Roland Barthes' (1981, 1985) theory of semiotics as a conceptual framework for answering how an analysis of photographs taken by adolescent day treatment school students who have psychiatric disorders provide insight into the students' interests and perspectives. The photography of seven adolescent participants, who were placed in a day treatment school and involved in its photography elective, was found to have communicated their interests and perspectives. A semiotic analysis was conducted of the photographs they took, observation notes made at the time the photographs were taken, and questionnaires collecting their reflections on taking the photographs. Should school-wide photography programs be implemented in day treatment schools and in schools with similar student populations nationwide, those programs could generate more effective curricula informed by their students' interests and perspectives. This could lead to a larger percentage of their graduates becoming productive members of society, thus prompting positive social change.