Ecobehavioral Characteristics of Self-Contained High School Classrooms for Students with Severe Cognitive Disability

This study investigated educational experiences for students with significant cognitive disability (SCD) taught in self-contained high school classrooms. Nineteen students and nine teachers across five high schools and four school districts participated. A time-sampling method was used to describe the ecological, teacher, and student behaviors of these classrooms. Field notes were collected and analyzed as well. Results revealed students in these classrooms were often passively engaged and had few opportunities to learn from rigorous curriculum. Instructors engaged in few practices known to be effective in supporting the learning of students with SCD. Finally, the classrooms themselves were often distracting and demonstrated little evidence of specialized or effective instruction. Implications for teaching and research are included.