How Special and General Education Co-Teachers Negotiate and Enact Their Roles in Inclusive Classrooms

• In Event: Centering Inclusion and Diversity When Engaging in K–12 Classroom Observations

Abstract

Observations of co-teachers indicate they often use the one-teach-one-assist model, with the general educator in the lead role. We combined classroom observations with interviews to explore how teachers enact and negotiate their instructional roles. Observations of 10 high school co-teaching teams showed their instruction followed three patterns: led by the general educators, led by the special educators, or split evenly. Findings indicated special educators often purposefully took a supportive role, seeing their roles as being to adapt materials and build relationships. Teams that split instruction had two features in common: the general educators were reflective about their practice, and teachers in each team received external training on relationships and communication. We discuss findings and implications for practitioners and future research.

Authors

• Wendy J. Rodgers, Virginia Commonwealth University
  Presenting Author

• Germaine Koziarski, Arizona State University
  Presenting Author