Term of Award

Summer 2025

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Curriculum Studies (Ed.D.)

Document Type and Release Option

Dissertation (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

College of Education

Committee Chair

Delores Liston

Committee Member 1

Edward Muhammad

Committee Member 2

Abraham Flanigan

Committee Member 3

April Garrity

Abstract

Many aspects of teaching and learning for students with disabilities (SWDs) were drastically altered during the height of COVID-19. While many students experienced learning gaps or loss related to unprecedented and abrupt changes to their education, young SWDs in rural areas were faced with unique challenges. The purpose of this Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study was to gain knowledge regarding teaching experiences/perceptions of rural Georgia K-5 special education teachers during the height of COVID-19 that shed light on learning loss among SWDs. The researcher was specifically interested in knowing more about teachers’ perceptions of academic and social-emotional learning loss as well as perceptions of social-contextual factors impacting learning and special education placement or disability labeling during the height of COVID-19. Dis/ability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) and Self Determination Theory (SDT) were utilized as theoretical frameworks for guiding the study. Data was collected via interviews (initial and follow-up/member-checking interviews) with seven teacher-participants. Interviews were recorded via Zoom and transcribed for detailed IPA data analysis. Four major themes were produced from data analysis and the study’s results: 1) novel virtual schooling especially thwarts reading progress: young SWDs need in-person, hands-on learning; 2) regression of social-emotional skills and unmet needs for motivation with absence of in-person instruction; 3) lack of technology access and resources linked to economic disadvantages hinders remote teaching and learning; and 4) learning environment disruptions create aspects of disabilities with special education placement as the remedy.

Research Data and Supplementary Material

Yes

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