Embodiments described herein encode data for multiple-segment transmission in a communication channel by encoding payload bits with an outer code and distributing the outer encoded payload bits to a plurality of N element coders, where N is an integer greater than one. At each of the N element coders the respectively input outer encoded payload bits are encoded with a respective element code. Outputs of the N element coders are encoded with an inner code such that the inner code applied to at least one of the outputs of the N element coders is a function of the output of at least one other of the N element coders. Finally, N discrete inner coded outputs are provided for transmission in respective N discrete segments of a wireless channel. The examples present polar element coders and the inner code combines outputs of certain element coders with an exclusive-OR function.