This document contains information about two discussion prompts for an education course on collaborative relationships and transitions. The first discussion prompt asks students to address concerns a special educator may have about feeling like a "glorified aide" in a co-teaching environment. The second discussion prompt asks students to either explain the differences between collaborative consultation and co-teaching models, or weigh the pros and cons of each, citing outside sources. Required and recommended resources on these models are also provided.

1. Week 3 - Discussion 1
ESE633: Collaborative Relationships & Transition
Be a Morale Booster by Being a Leader!
This discussion is your opportunity to demonstrate mastery of
the objective
analyze ways to create a collaborative school culture to promote
professional growth and leadership and analyze the value of co-
teaching as an inclusion model of instructional delivery
. The discussion represents your mastery of the Course Learning
Outcomes 1 & 2.
Before the reauthorization of IDEA in 2004, schools were
implementing inclusion, but it was not necessarily the ‘norm’;
instead, children with a disability were educated in a self-
contained classroom within the general school population.
Included with the most updated changes was a closer alignment
with NCLB (No Child Left Behind) requirement for data-based
decisions, more rigorous standards and highly qualified teachers
(No Child Left Behind, 2013). Teachers new to the field of
education are being taught during their coursework how to
implement inclusive, co-teaching practices and are therefore
unfamiliar with past teaching practices. On the other hand,
teachers who have been practicing for more than 10 years have
experiences in both education environments.
While it is clear that co-teaching is not the most popular
method of instructional delivery for all teachers, viewpoints
have been made clear and with good reasoning for use of this
method. To prepare for this discussion, it is recommended you
review
Co-Teaching in Inclusive Classrooms: The Pros and Cons
, where the author concisely lists each point of view and

2. teaching suggestions related thereto. You will see that co-
teaching has many benefits from reviewing that resource in
conjunction with your reading of the opening the “Voices from
the Field” provided as an introduction to chapter seven in the
Murawski and Spencer (2011) textbook for our course.
Initial Post -
Imagine you are in a Professional Learning Community that
promotes inclusive education and co-teaching. Imagine further
that your principal has asked your group to talk with the faculty
about the inclusive initiative and boosting teacher morale.
Using the first initial of your last name as a guide, select a
concern below about co-teaching. In your response, explain why
the teacher may have felt that way and describe how
collaborative efforts between the two teachers could have
proceeded differently.
If you last name begins with the letters A – M:
You will address the concerns of the special educator in the co-
teaching environment when you hear statements such as: “Sure,
I’ve co-taught before. I hated it. All I did was walk around the
room and check that my students had their homework or paid
attention. I was a glorified aide, at the mercy of whatever the
general education teacher wanted me to do” (Murawski &
Spencer, 2011, p. 93).
Week 3 - Discussion 2
When to Collaborate and When to Co-Teach?
This discussion is your opportunity to demonstrate mastery of
the objectives;
analyze the value of co-teaching as an inclusion model of
instructional delivery; analyze the value of collaborative
consultation as an inclusion model of instructional delivery; and

3. analyze the range of placements and services offered to students
who have a disability
. The discussion represents your mastery of the Course Learning
Outcomes 1 & 4.
Hallahan, Kauffman, and Pullen (2012) define
collaborative consultation
as when "...the special education teacher or psychologist acts
as an expert who provides advice to the general education
teacher," (p. 37). The key to the success of this model is
“collaboration” of the general education teacher’s content
knowledge and the special educator’s curriculum delivery
expertise. The special educator’s role is to provide strategies to
the general educator, outside of class time, on curriculum
accommodations, meeting and documenting the IEP goals, and
review student progress for those who have an identified
disability (Why Co-Teaching and Collaborative Consultation,
2008). The special educator and general educator must
acknowledge their individual and team value in providing an
equal contribution in the student’s education, recognize
personal areas of strength and weakness, and share an open line
of communication and honesty (Facilitating Collaborative
Consultation, 2009). Additional explanations for the purpose
and roles involved in the Collaborative Consultation model visit
Inclusion in the Secondary Classroom (Collaborative
Consultation, n.d.).
Initial Post -
Either choose the prompt to explain the difference between the
collaborative consultation model and the co-teaching model, or
the prompt to weigh the pros and cons of each teaching model.
Explain how the collaborative consultation model is different
than the co-teaching model of inclusive education including its
strengths and weakness in providing equal education to all

4. students within the general education classroom. Be sure to cite
at least two outside sources not included in this week’s required
or recommended reading. Your goal is to remain unbiased while
presenting the facts to your peers.
Compare and contrast the pros and the cons of collaborative
consultation model with the co-teaching model of inclusive
education making sure to cite at least two outside sources not
included in this week’s required or recommended reading. Your
goal is to remain unbiased while presenting the facts to your
peers.
Required Resources
Required Text
Murawski, W. & Spencer, S. (2011).
Collaborate, communicate, and differentiate: How to increase
student learning in today’s diverse schools
.Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Chapter 7: Improving Student Learning through Co-Teaching
Chapter 8: Collaboratively Planning and Assessing
Articles
Editorial Projects in Education Research Center. (2011,
September 19).
Issues A-Z: No Child Left Behind.
Education Week.
Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/no-child-left-
behind/
Facilitating collaborative consultation: Goals and roles for
special educators and general educators
.(n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.calhounisd.org/downloads/dcia/bb_sd_iep_se_ge_rol
es.pdf

5. Iowa Department of Eduction. (2009).
Why co-teaching and collaborative consultation?
Retrieved from
https://www.educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/Iowa's
Co-teaching and Collaborative Consultation Models.pdf
Multimedia
Ramirez, S. (21, September, 2011).
Copy of co-teaching in inclusive classrooms: The pros and cons
[Prezi presentation]. Retrieved from http://prezi.com/llzd__ps-
flm/copy-of-co-teaching-in-inclusive-classrooms-the-pros-and-
cons/
Recommended Resource
Text
Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2012).
Exceptional learners: An introduction to special education (12th
ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson Education.