Date Approved
9-8-2026
Embargo Period
9-7-2028
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ed.D. Educational Leadership
Department
Educational Leadership
College
College of Education
Advisor
Sarah Ferguson, Ph.D.
Committee Member 1
David Lindenmuth, Ed.D
Committee Member 2
Michelle Damiani, Ph.D.
Disciplines
Education | Educational Leadership
Abstract
This qualitative instrumental case study examines how teachers in one New Jersey public elementary (K-5) school perceived and enacted inclusive education within the context of recent structural changes to staffing and service delivery. Guided by the conceptual frameworks of Disability Studies in Education and mental models, the study used three research questions (and one subquestion) to understand how six educators perceive the influence of implicit biases on inclusive practices, what inclusive practices look in action, and how these correlate with institutional structures and documented evidence. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, institutional document analysis, and classroom achievement data. Thematic and document analysis identified four findings: (a) there is a commitment to inclusion without the capacity for it, (b) teachers hold a situational belief in inclusion, (c) presence in the general education classroom does not guarantee access, and (d) inclusion runs on teacher effort. To extend this research, three public scholarship products were developed. These include an empirical research article, a practitioner report, and a policy brief. In all, this study shows how to support more sustainable and equitable inclusive education.
Recommended Citation
Shaffer, Julia, "UNDERSTANDING TEACHER PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: AN INSTRUMENTAL CASE STUDY IN A NEW JERSEY PUBLIC SCHOOL" (2026). Theses and Dissertations. 3580.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/3580
