Collaborative Teaching: School Implementation and Connections With Outcomes Among Students With Disabilities

Abstract

Collaborative teaching is a widely used method of including and supporting students with disabilities to provide all students equal access to education. Yet, there is a dearth of research on its implementation and outcomes, and the few existing studies are limited to academic and testing outcomes. This study assesses the degree to which schools are implementing co-teaching practices and the relation between co-teaching and student psychosocial outcomes using a mixed method design. Data from 12 schools, which included 16 school leaders and staff, 13 teachers, and 56 students with disabilities, were examined. Schools achieved 0–75% of the co-teaching best-practices criteria, with the majority achieving 25%–50% of the criteria. Higher levels of teacher-reported co-teaching were related to higher levels of student-reported school belonging, school satisfaction, and self-efficacy for new experiences. The benefits and challenges of co-teaching, as well as implications for intervention and research are addressed.

KEYWORDS:

• co-teaching
• inclusive classrooms
• secondary education
• students with disabilities

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors acknowledge the entire School Transition Evaluation Project research team for their efforts and involvement.

Notes

Note. A = achieved, NA = not achieved.

Note. P indicates principal interviewed.

T indicates teacher interviewed.

AP indicates assistant principal interviewed.

ST indicates a special education teacher/coordinator/assistant participated in the interview.

A = achieved, NA = not achieved.

+ = achieved criteria, – = did not achieve criteria, blank indicates criteria not addressed.

Note. *p < .05. **p < .01.