Date of Conferral

2017

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Kathleen M. Claggett

Abstract

Third-grade students in a small rural school district in North Carolina are not meeting reading benchmarks on End-of-Grade Tests. Parents and educators have concerns regarding the service delivery plan for students with disabilities who have deficits in reading. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the roles and responsibilities of special education and general education teachers in relation to Common Core Reading Standards instruction for students with disabilities. Vygotsky's theory of social constructivism and concept of the zone of proximal development formed the conceptual framework for the exploration of how students' academic needs are met with appropriate support in the learning environment. The study's research questions addressed the perceptions of 4 special education teachers and 5 general education teachers as they considered placement, monitored students' reading progress, and implemented instructional strategies. Purposeful sampling was used to select the 9 participants to participate in the interview. Data were analyzed inductively using categories and themes. Eight themes emerged from the special education teachers and 6 themes developed from the general education teachers. The common themes that developed from both teachers were: progress monitoring, time/scheduling, and communication. The most important finding is the need for professional development to improve collaboration. This case study may promote social change by documenting the process that coteachers engage in to support disabled students' reading progress. This is significant because it offers evidence that general and special education teachers can use reading instruction strategies in inclusion settings to address students' reading deficit.

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