The purpose of this grounded theory study was to understand the processes school counselors engage in to effectively meet the educational needs of African American boys with disabilities in special education. The aim of the study was to generate theory to provide an explanation of the processes leading to African American boys being placed in special education from a counselor's perspective. The methods used to ground the theory in data were focus groups, interviews, and critical incidence case studies, using a constant comparative process to advance towards theory development. A theory emerged (Multi-systemic Approach to Cultural and Disability Awareness (MACDA) with African American Boys) that supported the use of an ecological framework for school counselors working with African American boys with disabilities. The tenets of the model elicited the use of a multi-level assessment and interventions approach to address the needs of African American boys with disabilities and the academic system as local education agencies. Findings suggest minimal effectiveness with African American boys with disabilities. The Participants of the study reported feeling effective in establishing meaningful relationships with students, however, there were perceived barriers that served as hindrances to adequately addressing the educational needs of African American boys with disabilities. Participants believed they have the capabilities to be more effective in addressing the needs of African American boys with disabilities if more time was allotted to red flag concerns and school cultures were more affirming. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]