Date of Conferral
7-18-2024
Date of Award
July 2024
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
School
Education
Advisor
Dr. Tammy Hoffman
Abstract
Special education teachers who provide educational opportunities for students in low-incidence programs within a Southern urban public school system in the United States faced challenges when trying to promote independence. The purpose of this project study was to understand the perceptions of teachers and the approaches they seek to best support their students in low-incidence programs in developing the independence necessary to engage in society. Maslow's theory of motivation was used as the conceptual framework for this project study. How special education teachers perceive their ability and the resources they need to support the independence of students in low-incidence programs constituted essential research questions for the study. A basic qualitative design method was used to collect data from 15 low-incidence special education teachers through semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed by using the inductive coding method. Five themes emerged from the data: autonomy, functional instruction, desire, material, and professional development. The project study’s findings may promote a positive social change by presenting special education teachers with the resources and support they require to encourage the independence of students in low-incidence programs and their participation in society as a whole.
Recommended Citation
Perlstein, Allison N., "Teachers’ Perceptions of Challenges and Interventions Involved in Promoting Independence of Students in Low-Incidence Programs" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 16086.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/16086
