Date of Conferral

2-5-2026

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Ajay Das

Abstract

The problem that was addressed through this study is that secondary coteachers struggle to support students with disabilities in inclusionary college preparatory science classes. Grounded in Bandura’s theory of collective agency and supported by Pratt’s framework for achieving symbiosis, the purpose of this study was to explore secondary coteachers’ experiences and challenges as well as their perceptions of collaboration and professional development opportunities related to coteaching in inclusive college preparatory science classrooms in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 secondary college preparatory science coteachers. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis with the following seven themes emerging: coteachers identified students’ academic barriers, weak executive functioning skills, and difficulties recovering from absences as challenges, as well as their professional needs for increased time to support coteaching relationships and collaboration, familiarity with both content and coteaching approaches, increased preparation, and more relevant ongoing training. The findings of this study may inform educational leaders in designing targeted support and training opportunities for secondary coteachers. Collectively, these outcomes may contribute to systemic improvements in inclusive secondary science education by expanding equitable access to rigorous college preparatory pathways, promoting academic persistence, and supporting long-term postsecondary opportunities for students with disabilities.

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