Collaboration: Co-Teaching in Special Education and Schools 1

Collaboration: Co-Teaching in Special Education and Schools

Mackenzie Mantione

The University of Arizona

Collaboration: Co-Teaching in Special Education and Schools 2

Introduction

Co-teaching in special education, as defined by the Journal of Educational and

Psychological Consultation, is “the partnering of a general education teacher and a special

education teacher or another specialist for the purpose of jointly delivering instruction to a

diverse group of students, including those with disabilities or other special needs, in a general

education setting and in a way that flexibly and deliberately meets their learning needs” (Friend,

Cooke, Hurley-Chamberland, Shamberger, 2010, p 11). Co-teaching among general and special

education teacher require shared preparation, planning, support, experience, and responsibility in

order to be successful. Collaboration and communication must be highly practiced in order to

ensure a productive and efficient working environment.

Review of the Literature

Historically, special education needs have been addressed and met separately from the

general education classroom. Students with specific learning disabilities were removed from the

general education classroom to independently receive services causing the general and special

education classrooms to be completely divided. The shift to achieve “proficiency standards of the

No Child Left Behind Act (2002) and the least restrictive environment requirements of the 2004

reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Act, collaboration between special education

and general education increased” (Pratt, Imbody, Wolf, Patterson, 2017, p. 243). The movement

towards co-teaching classrooms became more popular and practiced.

Co-teaching is challenging to establish in any particular school setting. Behind the scenes

of a co-taught classroom is the support of the administration. The article “Supporting Co-

Teaching Teams in High Schools: Twenty Research-Based Practices” provides strategies for

administration to follow to ensure a successful co-teaching environment for both the general and
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special education teachers as well as their students. Before co-teaching is practiced

administrators themselves need training. Administrators must be aware “of the demands and

skills that are required to successfully put co-teaching into practice” (Nierengarten, 2013, p. 74).

Allowing teachers to choose to participate in co-teaching is also crucial. If teachers are hesitant

or resistant to collaborate, co-teaching success may be hindered. Other suggestions before co-

teaching include, 1) Training teachers prior to implementing co-teaching; 2) Preparing students’

schedules; 3) Creating appropriate student: teacher ratios; 4) Giving verbal and financial support

from administration; 5) Nurture an inclusive attitude in your school amongst all classrooms

(Nierengarten, 2013, p. 74-77). To support co-teaching during practice administration should, 1)

Observe the co-teaching team; 2) Ensure common planning time; 3) Protect and respect the

teams; 4) Encourage evaluation and assessment of co-teaching; 5) Develop and enforce

appropriate individual educational plans (IEP); 6) Be mindful of how change and interruption

affect the teams; 7) Allow for peer coaching and observation; 8) Remember the importance of

reflection time; 9) Encourage student feedback (Nierengarten, 2013, p. 77-80). After co-teaching

the author suggests that administration, 1) Provide for continued professional development; 2)

Maintain the teams from year to year; 3) Provide incentive, celebration, and encouragement; 4)

Be a visionary. Successful co-teaching in a school is not achieved solely thru the collaboration of

two teachers, support from administration is also important.

Inside the classroom, successful co-teaching relies on a strong partnership between the

general education and special education teacher. The co-teachers can practice and utilize

different co-teaching models/methods in collaboration. In the “Co-teachers’ Attitudes Towards

Planning and Instructional Activities for Students with Disabilities” article, Strogilos et al.

(2016) describe the different methods:

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a) Supportive teaching–one teaching and one assisting (one teacher teaches the entire

class while the other assists individuals or small groups of students); (b) Supportive teaching –

one teaching and one observing (one teacher teaches the entire class while the other observes and

gathers data on specific students or groups); (c) Station teaching (the class is divided into two or

more learning stations and teachers provide individual support); (d) parallel teaching (each

teacher delivers either the same or similar instruction to half the class or other classroom

groupings); (e) Alternating or complementary teaching (one teacher enhances the instruction

provided by the other co-teacher); and (f ) Team teaching (co-teachers both plan, teach, assess

and are responsible for all students). (p. 346).

To practice a functional and successful co-teaching method communication and

collaboration is necessary.

Successful teacher collaboration and communication aids co-planning, an important role

of co-teaching. Pratt et al. (2017) discuss the importance of co-planning in order to successfully

co-teach in “Co-planning in Co-teaching: A Practical Solution”. They stated that, “the outcome

of co-teaching and the inherent co-planning relies on a focus on both long- term goals and day-

to-day adjustments to achieve the final objectives” (Pratt, Imbody, Wolf, Patterson, 2017, p.

244). From gathered literature and data, the authors presented a framework and worksheet for co-

teaching planning. The planning framework “includes practical steps involved in long-term

planning for a course and units, biweekly planning of lessons, and the daily planning that occurs

naturally in an interdependent co-teaching relationship” (Pratt, Imbody, Wolf, Patterson, 2017, p.

244). This goal becomes possible when co-teachers share the same ideology of student learning

and dedication to collaboration.

Summary
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To achieve appropriate co-teaching within the classroom, specifically the special

education classroom, there must be support from administration; utilization of different co-

teaching methods, and well organized co-planning. These articles call attention to several but not

all of the important aspects that create a functional co-teaching setting.

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References

Friend, M., Cook, L., Hurley-Chamberlain, D., & Shamberger, C. (2010). Co-teaching: an

illustration of the complexity of collaboration in special education. Journal of

Educational and Psychological Consultation, 20(1), 9-27.

doi:10.1080/10474410903535380

Nierengarten, G. (2013). Supporting co-teaching teams in high schools: twenty research-based

practices. American Secondary Education, 42(1).

Pratt, S. M., Imbody, S. M., Wolf, L. D., & Patterson, A. L. (2017). Co-planning in co-teaching:

a practical solution. Intervention in School and Clinic, 52(4), 243-249.

doi:10.1177/1053451216659474

Vasilis Strogilos, Abraham Stefanidis & Eleni Tragoulia (2016) Co-teachers’ attitudes towards

planning and instructional activities for students with disabilities, European Journal of

Special Needs Education, 31:3, 344-359, DOI: 10.1080/08856257.2016.1141512