Windfont, C. M. (2024).  Secondary special education teachers’ perception of technology integration and its use in classroom instructions (Publication No. 15375) [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University]. Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/15375

Abstract:

“At a mid-size suburban school district located in Texas, secondary special education teachers are not integrating technology routinely into their content-based lessons, thereby not ensuring special education students have access to a guaranteed viable curriculum. The purpose of this basic qualitative research study was to explore secondary teachers’ descriptions of their technological pedagogical content knowledge in relation to their subject-matter expertise and the factors that affect their technology integration decisions. Mishra and Koehler’s technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) conceptual framework grounded this study. The research questions sought to gain knowledge regarding the factors secondary special education teachers describe as influencing their instructional decisions to integrate technology into lessons for their students. Purposeful sampling was used in the participant selection. Data was collected from 15 semistructured interviews video recorded and transcribed. The data was analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis. The results of the analysis revealed key factors that influenced their instructional decisions: tools and practice, professional development, digital shifts, and TPACK. The recommendation for future research is that multiple data sources should be used to triangulate data. This study may positively impact social change by gaining a better understanding of ways to assist secondary special education and general education teachers with technology integration and prepare students using 21st-century skills that will enable them to compete and succeed academically.”