Date of Conferral

5-14-2025

Date of Award

May 2025

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Jo Desoto

Abstract

Research shows that general education teachers experience the most success serving special education students in the general education setting when they are well prepared to support these students’ unique needs. The problem addressed in this study was that middle school general education teachers were unprepared to include students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in the general education classroom in one local Southeastern U. S. school district. Guided by Knowles’s adult learning theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the training middle school general education teachers received to support students with EBD in the classroom and to identify the evidence-based practices (EBPs) currently used to support these students’ academic and behavioral needs. Data collection included semistructured interviews with 12 general education teachers and document analysis of relevant district-offered training. Thematic analysis using inductive coding revealed that the middle school general education teachers received minimal training about inclusion of EBD students and used few EBPs to support students with EBD. Teachers reported that they experienced many challenges when working with EBD students in the general education classroom and they desired more training and support. Recommendations based on these findings included providing general education teachers with additional training targeting providing support to and using EBPs with EBD students in the middle school general education setting. By developing general education teachers’ capacity for including EBD students in the general education setting, students’ academic, social, and educational outcomes are likely to improve, thereby fostering positive social change over time.

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