Abstract
Purpose. Share a comprehensive examination of best practices used to institutionalize a successful long-term secondary education co-teaching program.Methodology. An intrinsic case study of a single urban school site in the Southern California area, bounded in time from program inception through the study time period.
Findings. (a) Two visions dominated program adoption: respond to legal mandates and improve academic and social success of students with mild to moderate disabilities. (b) Formal co-teaching training was provided. (c) Absence of common planning time was a program barrier. (d) Finding and/or sustaining general education co-teachers was a program barrier. (e) Special education co-teachers should have or acquire course content knowledge. (f) Schools should slowly develop co-teaching programs. (g) Adaptive leadership was apparent. (h) Collaboration is an essential co teaching team process. (i) Trust, respect, and willingness to work together are necessary prerequisites for effective co teaching collaboration. (j) Co-teacher parity is a component of co-teacher leadership. (k) Co teaching improves student support. (l) Special education paraprofessionals are integrated into co-taught classes. (m) All interviewees reported positive co teaching efficacy. (n) Interviewees foresaw or presumed long-term program existence.
Conclusions. (a) Alignment with a co teaching best practices remains a school priority. (b) The co teaching program is likely to continue generally in its current form through the long term.
Recommendations. (a) Utilize co teaching best practices with co teaching program implementation or modification; (b) expect general educators to proactively build differentiation knowledge; special educators to proactively build content knowledge; (c) do periodic environmental scans to identify co-teaching program priorities; (d) appoint an experienced co teacher to serve as a support staff advisor; (e) include co teacher representation in the co teacher hiring process; (f) among co-taught students with disabilities, expect immediate improvements in social skills; longer-term improvements in academic accomplishments; (g) special education teachers co-teach with no more than two general educators; general education teachers co teach with one special educator per content preparation; (h) maintain effective, voluntary co teaching team integrity; (i) assign selected special education classroom assistants to co taught classes with enrolled students who have more moderate disabilities and would otherwise be in self-contained classes; and (j) develop and implement a co teaching program-level evaluation system.