Date

8-29-2025

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Sharon B. Farrell

Keywords

Special Education- Inclusion

Disciplines

Special Education and Teaching

Abstract

The purpose of this holistic, single case study was to describe the experiences of special and general education teachers collaborating to support the learning needs of African American high school students with dyslexia within an inclusive, co-teaching environment. The theory guiding this study was Cole’s intersectionality theory on co-teaching, as it explains how the interactions and strategies between co-teachers influence the academic success of students with dyslexia. The central research question was: How do special and general education teachers describe their experiences collaborating with one another to support the learning needs of African American high school students with dyslexia within an inclusive, co-teaching environment? This study employed a holistic, case study design, with data collected from interviews, observations, and a focus group comprising 12 high school teachers from various disciplines. The study setting was an urban high school in the Southeastern United States. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring themes and patterns in the teachers' experiences. Findings indicated that co-teaching benefits students by providing more individualized support, improving communication between teachers, and implementing evidence-based interventions, all of which are vital to student success. Challenges included communication issues, implicit bias, time constraints, and lack of resources. Strategies for overcoming these barriers include professional development, flexibility, and the integration of culturally responsive teaching practices.

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