Co-teaching is a widely implemented instructional strategy that poses unique challenges to teachers and may require targeted training. This study considers the role of pre-service and in-service professional development opportunities regarding co-teaching and teacher confidence, interests, and attitudes regarding co-teaching in a sample of general education and special education teachers. After controlling for key teacher demographics, professional development opportunities around co-teaching were positively associated with each teacher outcome. Teachers with more frequent in-service opportunities in co-teaching were more confident in their co-teaching practice and demonstrated higher levels of interest and more positive attitudes about co-teaching than did those teachers with less frequent in-service opportunities. Pre-service training on co-teaching was also positively associated with teacher confidence.
AudS.HussarW.KenaG.BiancoK.FrohlichL.KempJ.TahanK. (2011). The condition of education 2011 (NCES 2011-033). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/pdf/coe_cwd.pdf
2.
AustinV. L. (2001). Teachers’ beliefs about co-teaching. Remedial and Special Education, 22, 245-255. Available from http://rse.sagepub.com/
CarminesE. G.ZellerR. A. (1991). Reliability and validity assessment. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE.
5.
CookL.FriendM. (2010). The state of the art of collaboration on behalf of students with disabilities. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 20, 1-8. doi:10.1080/10474410903535398
CramerE.NevinA. (2006). A mixed methodology analysis of co-teacher assessments. Teacher Education and Special Education, 29, 261-274. Available from http://tes.sagepub.com/
8.
FennickE. (2001). Co-Teaching: An inclusive curriculum for transition. Teaching Exceptional Children, 33, 60-66. Retrieved from http://journals.cec.sped.org/tec/
9.
FennickE.LiddyD. (2001). Responsibilities and preparation for collaborative teaching: Co-teachers’ perspectives. Teacher Education and Special Education, 24, 229-240. Available from http://tes.sagepub.com/
FriendM. (2007). The co-teaching partnership. Educational Leadership, 64, 48-52.
12.
FriendM.CookL. (2009). Interactions: Collaboration skills for school professionals (6th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.
13.
FriendM.CookL.Hurley-ChamberlainD.ShambergerC. (2010). Co-teaching: An illustration of the complexity of collaboration in special education. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 20, 9-27. doi:10/1080/10474410903535380
14.
HangQ.RabrenK. (2009). An examination of co-teaching: Perspectives and efficacy indicators. Remedial and Special Education, 30, 259-268. doi:10.1177.0741932508321018
15.
HowardL.PottsE. A. (2009). Using co-planning time: Strategies for a successful co-teaching marriage. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 5(4), Article 2, 1-12. Retrieved from http://journals.cec.sped.org/tecplus/
16.
KamensM. W. (2007). Learning about co-teaching: A collaborative student teaching experience for preservice teachers. Teacher Education and Special Education, 30, 155-166. doi:10.1177/088840640703000304
17.
LekoM. M.BrownellM. T. (2009). Crafting quality professional development for special educators: What school leaders should know. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42, 64-70. Retrieved from http://journals.cec.sped.org/tec/
18.
LucknerJ. L. (1999). An examination of two coteaching classrooms. American Annals of the Deaf, 144, 24-34. Retrieved from http://gupress.gallaudet.edu/annals/
19.
MinerviniG.PancsofarN.PetroffJ. (2011, April). Exploring ambiguities with collaborative teaching experiences of educators: A pilot study. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the New Jersey Council of Exceptional Children in Absecon, NJ.
20.
MinkeK. M.BearG. G.DeemerS. A.GriffinS. M. (1996). Teachers’ experiences with inclusive classrooms: Implications for special education reform. Journal of Special Education, 30, 152-186. Available from http://sed.sagepub.com/
21.
MullerE.FriendM.Hurley-ChamberlainD. (2009, May). State-level approaches to co-teaching. Project Forum at NASDSE. Available from http://www.projectforum.org
22.
MurawskiW. W. (2006). Student outcomes in co-taught secondary English classes: How can we improve?Reading & Writing Quarterly, 22, 227-247. doi:10.1080/10573560500455703
23.
MurawskiW. W.SwansonL. (2001). A meta-analysis of co-teaching research: Where are the data?Remedial and Special Education, 22, 258-267. Available from http://rse.sagepub.com/
24.
MurrayC. (2004). Clarifying collaborative roles in urban high schools. Teaching Exceptional Children, 36, 44-51. Retrieved from http://journals.cec.sped.org/tec/
25.
National Board of Professional Teacher Standards. (2002). What teachers should know and be able to do. Washington, DC: Author.
26.
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. (2008). Professional standards for the accreditation of teacher preparation institutions. Washington, DC: Author
27.
NevinA. I.ThousandJ. S.VillaR. A. (2009). Collaborative teaching for teacher educators: What does the research say?Teaching and Teacher Education, 25, 569-574. doi:10.1016/ j.tate.2009.02.009
28.
ScruggsT. E.MastropieriM. G.McDuffieK. A. (2007). Co-teaching in inclusive classrooms: A metasynthesis of qualitative research. Exceptional Children, 73, 392-416. Retrieved from http://journals.cec.sped.org/ec/
29.
VillaR. A.ThousandJ. S.NevinA. I. (2008). A guide to co-teaching: Practical tips for facilitating student learning (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
30.
Walther-ThomasC. S. (1997). Co-teaching experiences: The benefits and programs that teachers and principals report over time. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30, 395-407. Available from http://ldx.sagepub.com/
31.
Walther-ThomasC. S.BryantM.LandS. (1996). Planning for effective co-teaching: The key to successful inclusion. Remedial and Special Education, 17, 255-264. Available from http://rse.sagepub.com/
32.
WeissM. P.LloydJ. W. (2002). Congruence between roles and actions of secondary special educators in co-taught and special education settings. Journal of Special Education, 36, 58-68. doi:10.1177/00224669020360020101
33.
ZigmondN. (2006). Reading and writing in co-taught secondary school social studies classrooms: A reality check. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 22, 249-268. doi:10.1080/105735600500455711
