Date
10-14-2026
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Alexandra Barnett
Keywords
Career and Technical Agricultural Education, students with disabilities, disability theory, workforce preparation, educational outcomes
Disciplines
Education | Special Education and Teaching
Recommended Citation
Newton, Evelyn Renae, "A Phenomenological Study of Career and Technical Agricultural Education Instructors’ Lived Experiences Teaching Students With Disabilities: A Qualitative Study" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8998.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8998
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Career and Technical Agricultural Education instructors at the secondary level as they taught and supported students with disabilities in Career and Technical Agricultural Education programs in the eastern-central Georgia region. At this stage of the research, the phenomenon was defined as understanding the skills and actions teachers used to help students with disabilities succeed in Career and Technical Agricultural Education programs. Disability theory informed this research because it addressed the societal barriers to disability that hindered the participation of individuals with disabilities in educational settings. The central research question was: What were the lived experiences of Career and Technical Agricultural Education instructors teaching students with disabilities in secondary education? This research used a qualitative research design that collected information through reflective journal prompts, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews with Career and Technical Agricultural Education instructors to gather rich data. The participants were 11 Career and Technical Agricultural Education instructors teaching at the secondary level in the eastern-central region of Georgia. Data were collected through audio-recorded interviews, transcribed, and analyzed using Moustakas' (1994) modified van Kaam method to identify invariant constituents and develop themes that represented the essence of participants' lived experiences. The findings revealed that although Career and Technical Agricultural Education programs provided valuable skills and opportunities for career readiness, participants described barriers related to accessibility, professional preparation, collaboration, and support for students with disabilities.
