Over the past decades, the trends in demographics for community colleges have changed dramatically causing more diversity (language, age, race) in student enrollment (Turcotte, 2015, p.3). As a result of the enrollment population shifting, community colleges evolved more comprehensively by expanding access, which allowed service to more students. Many of the learners in this new population were underprepared for the rigors of academic coursework, causing them to enroll in developmental education courses. However, as the number of adult learners (25 years old and older) continued to rise, so too did the need for community colleges to reach out to this population to make sure they all possessed the appropriate tools and resources needed to succeed. This changing phenomenon has caused community colleges to overhaul their organizational structures and curriculums to address this new population and their learning environments. With the student population continually evolving, and more and more non-traditional students enrolling, the dynamics in the classroom changed. The non-traditional student became the traditional student; thus, classrooms and ancillary supports must be reflective of this transformation. This qualitative study focuses on the experiences of older non-traditional students (30 years old or older) previously enrolled in multi-generational developmental education classes at community colleges by: (1) examining teaching and learning needs; (2) evaluating the effectiveness of targeted teaching and learning approaches; and (3) contextualizing (exploring) the lived experiences of five older non-traditional students previously enrolled in a multi-generational developmental education class at an urban community college. The study was conducted to determine if teaching and learning needs, required for success--inside and outside of the classroom--are met for older non-traditional students in multi-generational developmental education classes at urban community colleges. Theoretically, this study was framed within theories of self-efficacy, constructivism, and cognitive development. Data was collected through an in-depth interview and a reflection questionnaire which provided detailed descriptions of the participants' experiences and created the basis for analysis. Five participants from an urban community college were selected for participation based on purposeful homogeneous and snowball sampling. Data was analyzed by constant reading, comparing and connecting, coding, and integrating ideas to identify themes and sub-themes, patterns, and commonalities to gain relevant information relating to the guiding question. The results of the data suggested that instructional strategies in a developmental education classroom of multi-generational learners, to some extent, feature a one-dimensional approach to teaching and learning effectiveness. This study contributes to positive change by suggesting new pathways for teaching and learning approaches of the older adult learner in a multi-generational developmental education classroom. [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.]