Date of Conferral

6-4-2024

Date of Award

June 2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Stephanie Gaddy

Abstract

The problem addressed by this study was general education teachers who teach students in the elementary school setting have students with ASD in their classrooms for the majority of the day and have reported difficulties understanding their students’ academic characteristics as they relate to the student’s disability and the student’s research-based, academic accommodations. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to gain insight into general education teachers’ experiences concerning instruction and academic accommodations for students with ASD within inclusive classrooms. Bandura’s social cognitive theory was the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions explored teachers’ perceptions of teaching students with autism and experiences providing accommodations for students with autism in elementary settings. Data were collected via semistructured interviews with nine participants who met the inclusion criteria of this study. Data analysis involved using open coding to identify codes, categories, and themes. The emergent themes were (a) teachers reported requiring more training and time for their student with ASD, (b) teachers expressed knowledge of the whole student from academic to social/emotional, and (c) teachers expressed their experiences of providing accommodations which were driven by the knowledge of the whole student. The findings may inform stakeholders about the needs of general elementary education teachers who teach students with ASD. This study may have implications for positive social change by strengthening stakeholders’ understanding of teacher needs related to instructing and providing accommodations for students with autism, that could result in increased student achievement for students with autism.

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