Dissertation Proposal Announcement Ed.D. Program: Arianna Labetti “Can We All Learn Together? A Qualitative Study of Students’ Perceptions of the Co-Teaching Model”

With nearly 3.9 million students with disabilities in the United States receiving instruction in general education classrooms (Strogilos et al., 2023), co-teaching plays a key role in enabling students with disabilities to learn alongside their general education peers. Research shows that co-teaching offers academic, social, and behavioral advantages, including differentiated instruction, increased student participation, and behavioral supports (Kokko et al., 2021; Lehane & Senior, 2020; Magiera & Zigmond, 2005; Strogilos & Avramidis, 2016). Yet most studies focus on teachers’ viewpoints, leaving elementary students’ experiences underexplored (Embury & Kroeger, 2012; King-Sears et al., 2014). Without considering students’ voices, we cannot fully grasp how co-teaching affects their learning. This phenomenological study explores the co-teaching model through the perspectives and experiences of students with and without disabilities in the upper elementary setting.

This study’s conceptual framework draws from Disability Critical Race Theory, intersectionality, inclusive pedagogy, and student voice (Annamma et al., 2013; Cook-Sather, 2006), emphasizing students as key stakeholders. By emphasizing their viewpoints, it seeks to enhance understanding of co-teaching methods and promote more inclusive educational settings. This study seeks to address this gap by examining students’ experiences with co-teaching practices, their perceptions of the academic, social, and behavioral impacts, and their understanding of teacher roles. The participants will include 12 fourth-grade students, both with and without disabilities, as well as six co-teachers from three different classrooms. Data collection methods will consist of teacher interviews, classroom observations, photo elicitation (Harper, 2002; Luttrell, 2010), focus groups (Morgan et al., 2002), and individual interviews (Brenner, 2006). This research contributes to the limited body of literature focused on elementary-aged students and their lived experiences in this instructional setting, offering insight into instructional model preferences and recommendations to improve fidelity in classroom instruction fo