First Advisor
Sundeen, Todd
Document Type
Dissertation
Date Created
5-2022
Department
College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Special Education, Special Education Student Work
Abstract
Despite the vital role that educational engagement has on student learning and academic achievement, there is limited research on how secondary educators perceive the concept concerning African immigrant students with disabilities. There is a significant increase of African immigrant students with disabilities in United States (U.S.) public schools. Little is known regarding how secondary educators perceive their roles and facilitate educational engagement for these students. Inadequate information about immigrant students with disabilities, further makes it difficult to support this student population in U.S. public schools. This phenomenological qualitative study investigated how secondary educators perceived their roles in facilitating educational engagement for African immigrant students with disabilities. The 16 participants for this study were purposively drawn from public middle and high school in Mid-Southeastern state school districts of the United States. These secondary educators were ESL coordinators, exceptional children (EC) facilitators, and special education (SPED) teachers. Data collection for this study was through multiple source; questionnaires, interviews, participant reflections, and researcher journals. The interview was semi-structured and guided by open-ended questions. A six-step thematic process was used to analyze and transcribed the data collected. The theoretical perspectives for this study theory were culturally responsive pedagogy and the constructivism theory. iv Findings for this study revealed secondary educators perceived that barriers of cultural factors, curriculum structure and educational model impacted their role of facilitating educational engagement for African immigrant students with disabilities. As a result, the participant perceived that increased support in the learning environment could lead to successful educational engagement for African immigrant students with disabilities. Participant are of the opinion that support systems such as inclusion support, relationship building, and specially designed instructions could aid educational engagement for African immigrant students with disabilities.
Extent
158 pages
Local Identifiers
Uzochukwu_unco_0161D_11003.pdf
Rights Statement
Copyright is held by the author.
Recommended Citation
Uzochukwu, Charity Obiageli, "Perceptions of Secondary Educators Regarding The Educational Engagement of African Immigrant Students With Disabilities" (2022). Dissertations. 828.
https://digscholarship.unco.edu/dissertations/828