Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Williams-Kelly, Sarah Elizabeth

Titel

Lived Experiences of Special Education Teachers During Covid-19: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study

Ort / Verlag

ProQuest Dissertations Publishing

Erscheinungsjahr

2023

Link zum Volltext

• ProQuest

Quelle

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• In March 2020, the educational system experienced an unprecedented event in modern history, the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic affected all grade levels and content areas, including special education, and how teaching was delivered to millions of students. The problem was during the COVID-19 school closures; special education teachers had difficulty providing services to students with special needs in online classrooms. Many students with special needs did not receive appropriate accommodation and instructional support. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of special education teachers who provided services to students in inclusive online classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic school closures. This study was implemented using a qualitative descriptive phenomenological design. Seven one-on-one interviews were conducted with special education teachers. Interviews were recorded via Zoom and transcribed verbatim. The phenomenological data analysis was based on Moustakas. The guiding theory was Vygotsky’s Social Learning Theory, specifically the zone of proximal development, the more knowledgeable other, and scaffolding. The data were coded, and thematic analysis was conducted to answer the research questions. The findings included themes related to the challenges special education teachers encountered in providing special education services to students with special needs, the inequity of technology training within the district, and balancing teaching and family responsibilities. Teachers expressed feelings of inadequacy, fatigue, and isolation when reflecting on the quality of service during the pandemic. Future research should replicate this study, focusing on increasing the number of participants, school districts, or states to provide greater insight into challenges experienced by special education teachers.