Date
9-17-2026
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Susan Quindag
Keywords
co-teaching, inclusion, Individualized Education Program, self-efficacy
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Brooks, Indira, "A Transcendental Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences of General Education High School Teachers' Preparedness in Inclusive Classrooms" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8914.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8914
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of teachers’ preparedness in teaching students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms in urban high schools in New York City. The theory that guided this study was Bandura’s self-efficacy theory (1997). The central research question was: What are teachers’ lived experiences regarding their preparedness to teach students with disabilities in an inclusive high school classroom? Four sub-questions were used to further explore teachers’ lived experiences related to educational preparation, collaboration, co-teaching, and professional development. A qualitative phenomenological study was used to examine participants’ lived experiences in their natural environments. Participants were selected from one urban high school in New York City using purposive and criterion sampling. The study included 12 participants who took part in individual interviews, focus groups, and essay writing. Data were collected and coded manually to identify emerging themes. Results revealed eight themes: (a) college preparation did not fully prepare teachers for inclusion, (b) teachers developed preparedness through classroom experience, (c) scaffolding increased student access to grade-level learning, (d) differentiation helped address varied student needs, (e) intentional tiered grouping improved participation and targeted support, (f) collaboration with colleagues strengthened instructional decision-making, (g) co-teaching partnerships strengthened inclusive instruction, (g) school-based professional learning viewed as most effective. The findings indicated that preparedness for inclusive classrooms was not developed through preservice preparation alone, but evolved through classroom experience, collaborative practice, co-teaching partnerships, and ongoing professional learning.
