Dissertation Defense Announcement Ed.D. Program: Katie A. Schooley “Listening to the Voices of Students with Significant Support Needs”

Since the inclusion of students with significant support needs (SSN) in public schools, research has examined where, what, and how to educate them. The education of students with SSN is a topic of intense debate among educational researchers, educators, parents, and policymakers; however, research lacks input from the students themselves. There is a small but growing body of research that seeks to elevate the voices of disabled students to understand their perspectives on education using specialized methods that adapt traditional qualitative research methods. However, this research often lacks the voices of students with SSN.

This study aimed to elevate the voices of students with SSN in a public middle school to understand their lived experiences, including their perspectives on learning and social experiences. Using multimodal data collection methods, such as activity-based interviews, sorting activities, photographs, and art-based activities, students shared their experiences in middle school. This study is grounded in the work of Disability Studies in Education that embraces the social model of disability and privileges the voices of people with disabilities while assuming their competence.

The findings highlighted what students with SSN said about their experiences in middle school. The findings suggest that participating students with SSN generally perceived a supportive school environment, yet also shared what they thought could be improved at the school. They shared the joys and challenges of their learning experiences, their desire to be engaged in learning, and their appreciation for functional and standards-based learning. The students also shared their experiences regarding social integration, including participation in electives and extracurricular activities. They also shared friendships with one another and with their general education peers.

This study contributes to the current literature by providing student input on how public middle schools can be more inclusive of students with SSN. It also shares the student perspective on how to educate students with SSN and to provide meaningful social experiences. Additionally, this study advances work grounded in Disability Studies in Education by incorporating missing voices, using innovative multimodal data collection procedures, and situating normalcy in the field. This study has implications for teaching practice and professional development.