A district case study : how one school district engaged in sustainable systemic change to include students with significant cognitive disabilities in general education classes

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Kristin Krupa Burnette (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Diane L. Ryndak

Abstract: History, trends, and data indicate the harm of segregation for persons with significant cognitive disabilities (SCD; Burton & Blatt; 1966; Nielsen, 2013). One school district in the northeastern part of the United States began facilitating systemic change in 2017. This qualitative case study investigated this school district’s multi-year experience with facilitating the development of inclusive education practices for students with SCD. This case study was developed to: (a) understand how one school district addressed sustainable systemic change related to the inclusion of students with significant cognitive disabilities in general education classes, and (b) understand the impact of those efforts on students, their parents, instructional personnel, and administrators. The Principal Investigator collected qualitative and quantitative data to better understand the experiences of one district engaged in efforts for sustainable systemic change related to the use of inclusive education practices for students with SCD. The results of this case study are organized by Themes (n = 5) and Subthemes (n = 13) that emerged from the documents, data, and interviews collected. This discussion section synthesizes the results of the study to answer the research questions and provides: (a) summary of findings, (b) discussion of findings, (c) implications for future research, policy, and practice, (d) limitations, (e) researcher positionality, and (f) conclusions. Limitations of this study and implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 2022
Keywords
Inclusive education, Significant cognitive disability, Sustainable change, Systemic change
Subjects
School improvement programs $z United States $v Case studies
Educational change $z United States $v Case studies
Inclusive education $z United States $v Case studies

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