Date of Award
4-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Copyright Status, No Creative Commons License
All Rights Reserved
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership for Diverse Learning Communities
Department
Education
School
School of Education and Human Services
Abstract
Approximately 912,000 students are enrolled in New York City public schools, with approximately 157,300 receiving special education services. According to the NYC Department of Education (2024), 96.9% of students with communication disorders spend at least 80% of their day in general education classrooms. This qualitative interpretive phenomenological study aimed to explore the lived experiences of classroom teachers (CTs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) regarding their collaborative practices. The study intended to look at the effectiveness and perspective of CTs and SLPs regarding their collaborative practices in public school settings, from elementary through high school, intending to improve educational outcomes for students with communication disorders. A total of 15 participants, eight CTs and seven SLPs, participated in a semi-structured interview to gain deep insights into their interprofessional collaboration. The interprofessional collaboration theory (IPCP) informed this study. The findings revealed that CTs and SLPs recognize the importance of collaboration in supporting students with special needs. Both CTs and SLPs disclosed the importance of sharing ideas, knowledge, and expertise while working with students with communication disorders to boost academic and communication skills. Key findings emphasized the strengths, facilitators, barriers, and strategies for a more practical collaboration. These findings underscore the crucial role of collaboration in supporting students with communication disorders. They suggest that schools prioritize and promote collaboration, providing professional development opportunities focusing on teamwork initiatives.
Related Pillar(s)
Study
Recommended Citation
Henry, Edwilda, "Meeting the Needs of Children with Communication Disorders: A Collaborative Approach Between Classroom Teachers and Speech-Language Pathologists" (2025). Theses & Dissertations. 233.
https://digitalcommons.molloy.edu/etd/233
