Preparing Special Education Teachers to Work with Low-Incidence Populations - The Teachers' Perspectives: A Phenomenological Study

A critical issue in the preparation of special education teachers working with students with significant disabilities is the lack of commonality in what preparation programs should include in their academic plans of study. As such, some special education teachers enter the workforce unprepared for the expectations of their role responsibilities. This level of unpreparedness is further intensified when teachers do not receive adequate support during their early years in teaching. Special education teachers of students with significant disabilities require additional support as they seek to balance the academic and functional needs of their students. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of early-career special education teachers of students with significant disabilities and identified the skills and administrative support the teachers needed to provide high-quality instruction to their students.Ed.D., Educational Leadership and Management -- Drexel University, 201