Disability in career and technical education: perceptions of novice teachers in career and technical education regarding students with disabilities

Eisenman, Laura T.For secondary students with disabilities, career and technical education (CTE) teachers represent a pivotal group of educators in their transition process between school and workplace. Although uniquely positioned between schools and the workplace, little is known about novice CTE teachers who enter the classroom directly from the workplace. This study explored three research questions. First, what observations do novice CTE teachers have regarding the transition of students with disabilities from school culture into the workforce culture, including secondary special education transition services? Second, what continuities and discontinuities do they perceive across the two cultures in relationship to how disabilities are defined and addressed? Lastly, in what ways, if any, does the induction into teaching influence the observations and perceptions of these novice teachers? Nine novice CTE teachers participated in an exploratory snapshot case study. Through semi-structured interviews, they offered perspectives on previous work environments, current teaching environments, students with disabilities, and the transition process of those students. Constant comparative methods were used to analyze teacher perspectives. A final wave of data analysis considered the applicability of constructs from a theoretical framework of self-determination. Findings indicated that these CTE teachers had limited background knowledge related to disabilities in the workplaces and limited abilities and opportunities within their new teaching positions to meaningfully engage in the transition processes of their students with disabilities. Meeting the instructional needs of their students with disabilities and understanding special education structures in general were the priority for these teachers.University of Delaware, School of EducationPh.D