A Narrative Inquiry Into the Experiences of Self-Contained Classroom Teachers of Students With Moderate to Severe Developmental Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to extend the research on the experiences of special education teachers (SETs) who educate students with moderate to severe developmental disabilities in self-contained classroom (SCC) settings. We used narrative inquiry to generate individual participant stories and to develop a thematic cross-case analysis among five participants. Our findings showed the unique experiences of this group of SETs, with the following themes from the cross-case analysis: (a) The Accumulation of Small Student Victories is Gratifying for Teachers, (b) Teamwork is Essential to a Successful SCC, (c) SCCs are Complex Environments Involving Challenges from Multiple Sources, and (d) Teachers Need Specific Training and Support to Meet Students’ Complex Needs. These findings are discussed in terms of pre- and in-service training and supports for SETs educating students with complex learning needs in SCCs.