Date
4-26-2024
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Amy Schechter
Keywords
Teacher Preparation, Inclusion Education, Co-teaching, Collaboration, Instructional Practices
Disciplines
Education | Special Education and Teaching
Recommended Citation
Brown, Julie Elise, "A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences of Elementary Teachers in Inclusion Classrooms" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5504.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5504
Abstract
The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of elementary teachers in inclusion classrooms. The theory which guided this study was Bandura’s (2006) social cognitive theory as it related to the lived experiences of teacher preparedness for teaching in inclusion classrooms. Successful inclusion-setting outcomes were attributed to a teacher’s perception and attitude toward disabilities and their ability to teach them. This study was designed to answer the following central research question: What are the lived experiences of teachers regarding their preparation for teaching in elementary-level inclusion classrooms? Three sub-questions were used to understand the lived experiences that impact teacher preparedness for teaching in inclusion classrooms. A qualitative methodology was used to understand participants’ personal experiences in a natural setting. Two elementary schools in the southeastern United States served as the sites from which participants were selected. The study included 10 participants from the elementary schools. Data was collected from interviews, focus groups, and journaling. Data analysis occurred through the transcription and codification of emerging keywords with the codes becoming the themes. Four themes were identified from data analysis: (a) preparation for inclusion, (b) co-teaching experiences, (c) educational experiences, and (d) collaboration experiences. Results indicated that classroom experience most prepared participants for teaching in an inclusion classroom. Participants cited a lack of understanding of co-teaching styles as a problem in preparation for co-teaching. All participants agreed their educational experiences challenged their preparedness for teaching in inclusion classrooms. Collaboration experience had both positive and negative aspects; however, both aspects were necessary for preparation for teaching inclusion.
