The First Year as Teachers Assigned to Elementary and Middle

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences and perceptions of 10 first-year teachers who had been trained to provide evidence-based practices, including integrated services and supports, and subsequently took jobs in self-contained, special education elementary and middle-school classrooms designated for students with “moderate/severe disabilities.” A collective case study design was used to follow the teachers over the course of their first year of teaching. The narrative and teacher-reported data demonstrated their accomplishments, the joys of their work with the children and families, and their growth in confidence levels. The data also revealed their frustrations with some of the systemic issues they faced. Many of the difficulties stemmed from the lack of a shared vision between the teachers and their school administrators and systems. Implications for policy and practice regarding the segregation of students with severe disabilities and their teachers are discussed, as well as issues related to the evaluation of special education teachers and the induction of new special education teachers