Publication Date

2025

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Ellen Casale, Lester Archer, Kelly Davis

Degree Program

Educational Leadership

Degree Type

Doctorate

Abstract

This study used an improvement science framework to influence special education teachers’ behaviors and their implementation of transition service development through person centered planning and ongoing teacher support. Grounded in adaptive leadership principles and a theory of action emphasizing the need for new professional learning and sustained support, this research investigated how targeted interventions impact teacher practice.

I selected a mixed-methods design for this study, combining semi-structured interviews, Likert scale surveys, open-ended questions, and a single-participant case study to evaluate outcomes. Findings revealed that a traditional professional development model incorporating opportunities to practice skills and proactively address potential barriers led to self-reported increases in participants' person-centered planning knowledge and tools. Additionally, participants identified a decrease in perceived barriers to implementing these practices. For a single-case study participant, ongoing coaching through video-based professional development further increased confidence, improved understanding of how teacher practices influence student access to content, and enhanced reflective growth for an educator as measured by field notes, a coaching protocol, and teacher survey.

This study highlighted the implications of video-based coaching as a support mechanism, offering insights into how these approaches can enhance teacher implementation of transition services. Results from the case study in the second intervention suggest that video-based coaching can improve knowledge, self-efficacy, and implementation of person-centered planning practices. This research contributes to the field of special education by demonstrating the value of combining structured professional development with adaptive, reflective coaching to foster sustainable change in teacher behavior and student outcomes.

Disciplines

Education | Educational Leadership | Teacher Education and Professional Development

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