ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9857-9504

Year

2026

Season

Summer

Paper Type

Doctoral Dissertation

College

Silverfield College of Education and Human Services

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)

Department

Leadership, Organization and Community Impact

Committee Chairperson

Dr. David Hoppey

Second Advisor

Dr. Christopher Janson

Third Advisor

Dr. Pamela Williamson

Fourth Advisor

Dr. Ginevra Courtade

Department Chair

Dr. Kristi Sweeney

College Dean

Daniel L. Dinsmore, PhD

Abstract

The transition process beyond high school can be daunting for students with disabilities and their families. Families often encounter difficulties accessing community-based supports after students leave the K–12 education system despite federal legislative mandates under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Rural contexts further complicate the experience for families accessing adult services after high school. The current hermeneutic phenomenological study explored how families of students with significant disabilities experienced accessing community transition supports after leaving high school in rural contexts. Through the lens of van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomenology, the study explored participants’ experiences accessing transition supports after high school and how rural contexts informed those experiences. Families who had a child with significant disabilities who exited high school within the last 1–3 years and lived in rural communities in the southeastern United States participated in the study. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using interpretive thematic reflection. Results illuminated how families experienced fragmented systems, lack of services, transportation difficulties, and uncertainty about eligibility criteria when accessing adult services after high school. Participants also expressed emotional fatigue from navigating adult services while becoming long-term caregivers for their children. Despite these difficulties, participants demonstrated resiliency through advocacy, persistence, and informal support networks. Implications for practice include improving collaboration among community agencies, increasing accessibility of transition information, and considering rural context when developing transition policies and planning.

Download

Share

COinS
 

Accessibility Statement

This item was created or digitized before April 24, 2027, or is a reproduction of legacy material created before that date. It is preserved in its original, unmodified state specifically for research, reference, or historical recordkeeping. In accordance with the ADA Title II Final Rule, the Library provides accessible versions of archival materials by request. If you are experiencing difficulty accessing the information on the site due to a disability, please submit a request through the following form for assistance.