This dissertation includes a systematic review, an empirical study, and a practitioner article, all focused on improving reading comprehension and instruction for secondary students with learning disabilities (LD) in social studies. The evidence-based systematic review synthesized reading comprehension interventions for students with LD in secondary social studies classrooms published between 2011 and 2024. Only one intervention—Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR)—was identified as an evidence-based practice (EBP). Findings also revealed limited content diversity in social studies and a need for replication studies to establish additional EBPs. The empirical study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to examine the perspectives of pre-service special education teachers seeking LD endorsements through a survey and focus groups. Participants (n = 51 survey; n = 10 focus group) generally valued social studies and reported comfort in teaching the subject, favoring discussion-based, collaborative approaches. However, it is possible that participants may have relied on general education instructional approaches, a focus of their teacher preparation program, to determine their comfortability. Despite feeling confident in teaching social studies, most participants lacked exposure to social studies-specific pedagogies and field experiences. The final practitioner article translates the findings of the EBP systematic review into practical guidance for implementing CSR in inclusive classrooms. CSR's four components—Preview, Click and Clunk, Get the Gist, and Wrap-Up—incorporate explicit instruction, peer collaboration, and scaffolding to support students’ comprehension of primary sources. Together, the three studies underscore the promise of multicomponent reading interventions like CSR and highlight the need for enhanced disciplinary literacy training for pre-service special education teachers to support students with LD in accessing complex social studies content.
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