Qualitative Research on Children with Special Needs

Qualitative Research on Children with Special Needs

Discussion2 What Would you like to explore?


To prepare for this Discussion:

  • Review the Learning Resources related to qualitative research.
  • Consider a topic in your discipline that is of interest to you. This could come from a prior course or something from your work or personal setting for which you have a passion.

By Day 4

Based on your initial understanding of qualitative research, post a description of the topic you chose in terms of how it could be conceptualized as a qualitative study. Include:

  1. What is the phenomenon of interest?
  2. What experiences or contextual issues might influence how this phenomenon could be studied?
  3. In what setting(s) could a topic like this be explored?
  4. What connection do you have to this topic, and why do you think it is important to explore this as a qualitative study?
  5. What possibilities could the results of this research have for social change?

Be sure to support your main post and response post with reference to the week’s Learning Resources and other scholarly evidence in APA style.

Learning Resources

Required Readings

Ravitch, S. M., & Carl, N. M. (2016). Qualitative research: Bridging the conceptual, theoretical, and methodological. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

  • Chapter 1, “Qualitative Research: An Opening Orientation” (pp. 1–31)

Erickson, F. (2011). Chapter 3: A history of qualitative inquiry in social and educational research. In N. K. Denzin, & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of qualitative research(4th ed., pp. 43–58). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y.S. (2013). Chapter 1: Introduction: The discipline and practice of qualitative research. In The landscape of qualitative research (4th ed., pp. 1–44). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Retrieved from http://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/17670_Chapter1.pdf

Yob, I., & Brewer, P. (n.d.). Working toward the common good: An online university’s perspectives on social change, 1-25.

Walden University. (n.d.). What kind of social change agent are you? Retrieved from
Review this website and take the social change quiz to complete your Major Assignment 2 for this week.

Walden University Library. (n.d.). Course guide and assignment help for RSCH 8310. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/rsch8310
Use this website to search for books, encyclopedias, or articles based on the requirements for the Discussion and/or Assignment.

Document: Video Field Notes Guide (Word document)
Use this guide to help you as you take notes for your Scholar of Change video.

Document: Major Assignment 1: Developing a Research Topic for a Qualitative Study Overview and Guidelines (PDF)
Use this document to guide you through your Major Assignment 1 for this course.

Document: Major Assignment 2: The Analysis and Interpretation of Qualitative Data Overview and Guidelines (PDF)
Use this document to guide you through your Major Assignment 2 for this course.

Required Media

Scholar of Change Video #1

Isaac, B. (2014). Benjamin Isaac, EdD student, inspiring children with special needs [Video file].
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.
In this Scholar of Change video, Benjamin Isaac, Walden Doctor of Education student and 2014 Scholar of Change, is creating an animated show to inspire children with special needs. As you observe, take notes using the Video Field Notes Guide.

Answer preview

Contextual issues that might influence how the phenomena should be studied

A significant contextual issue that might influence how the phenomena should be studied is the communication techniques. Children with special needs may have different challenges such as the inability to hear, difficulties in talking, as well as visual problems. Therefore, the researchers will have to consider how to incorporate effective communication techniques to collect useful information. The other contextual issue is the relationship of the researchers and that of the children and their parents (Denzin, & Lincoln, 2013). Children, in general, are vulnerable beings, and an important consideration would be the establishment of a trusting…

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Qualitative Research on Children with Special Needs

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