Developing a theory about how early elementary special education teachers approach literacy learning with students with significant disabilities

This dissertation utilized primarily qualitative methods of data collection and analysis to examine how 11 early elementary special education teachers in 10 schools in a large school district in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States approached the task of developing and providing literacy instruction to students with significant disabilities who received most of their education in a self-contained setting. An environmental observation, semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations were used to (1) describe the teachers' existing practices related to early emergent reading, writing, and communication, (2) explore the extent to which teachers followed recommended best practices, and (3) to develop a beginning theory of how early elementary special education teachers approach early literacy learning given the many challenges of their students.; Six critical features were identified from the literature related to literacy instruction for students with significant disabilities. Those features were: (a) a responsive and supportive literacy rich environment, (b) integration of computers, assistive technology (AT) and alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) strategies, (c) direct instruction, (d) social engagement and meaning-making, (e) individualization based on local understanding, and (f) high expectations. Most of the teachers were actively engaged in teaching literacy skills to their students. In general they provided a responsive and supportive literacy environment and direct instruction. Computers were widely used as were AT and AAC; however, AT and AAC strategies were not systematically integrated across activities. Teachers had high hopes for their students but did not expect many of them would achieve conventional literacy. Emphases on meaning-making and social engagement were not observed nor did teachers share these perspectives during interviews.; Using grounded theory methodology, a theory was constructed of 5 related concepts: (a) instructional outlook, (b) institutional expectation, (c) instructional set, (d) instructional fit, and (e) vigilance-adaptation. This theory was used to explain how teachers approach literacy instruction. It was also found useful for predicting poor instructional fit, which was defined as the match among the teacher, her students, and the instructional demands and supports in an instructional setting.