1) General education and special education teachers are expected to co-teach in inclusive classrooms but often lack training in each other's areas of expertise. 2) The history of educating students with disabilities has shifted from segregated settings to inclusion under laws like IDEA, but more progress is needed. 3) Co-teaching, where teachers jointly plan and instruct a diverse group of students, supports inclusion and fulfills political and educational goals when implemented properly through styles like station teaching and parallel teaching.

1. Inclusion Can Work

2. The problem with inclusion….. 
General education teachers are expected to teach students
with intellectual disabilities (ID) in regular education classroom
However
general educators, who have vast knowledge regarding
curriculum and subject matter, have not received special
education and differentiating instruction training
And
special educators, who have training regarding special
education students, are not given the opportunity to educate
and support general education teachers in an inclusive
setting.

3. How come the problem is
coming to the forefront now?
Haven’t students with disabilities been
included in school
programs
for
many
years?

4. Not exactly….

5. History
Prior to the 1970s, the fate of many
individuals with disabilities was likely
to include residency
in a state institution
for persons
with mental
retardation or
mental illness
(Broderick, Mehta-Parekh, & Reid). .

6. History (cont.)
Many of these restrictive
settings provided only
minimal food, clothing,
and shelter.
Too often, persons with
disabilities were merely
accommodated rather
than assessed, educated,
and rehabilitated (Broderick et
al.).

7. A step in the right direction…..
=
Public Law 94-142: 1975
(Education of All Handicapped Children Act)

8. I n 1 9 7 5 , C o n g re s s p a s s e d P u b l i c L aw 9 4 - 1 4 2
*now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
In order to receive federal funds for
education, states had to develop and
implement policies that assured all
children with disabilities received a
free appropriate public
education (FAPE)
(Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004)

9. (IDEA, 2004)
1) Early intervention programs have supported over 200,000 eligible infants ,
toddlers, and their families
2) Nearly 6 million children receive special education services to meet their
individual educational needs.
3) More children are in their neighborhood schools, rather than in centrally
located schools or institutions
4) The majority of children with disabilities are now being educated in regular
classrooms with their non-disabled peers.
5) High school graduation rates have increased by 14 % from 1984 to 1997.
6) Today, post-school employment rates for youth served under IDEA are twice
those of older adults with similar disabilities who did not have the benefit of
IDEA.
7) Post-secondary enrollments among individuals with disabilities receiving
IDEA services have tripled since 1978.

10. Let’s make more progress
By…..

11. ….supporting inclusive least restrictive
environments with co-teaching classrooms
You should know….
Inclusion= is when students with disabilities have the
right to be members of classroom communities with
nondisabled peers, whether or not they can meet the
traditional expectations of those classrooms (Virginia
Department of Education, 2010)
Co-teaching= an instructional delivery option where
two or more licensed professionals, typically general
education and special education teachers, jointly plan
and deliver instruction in a shared space with a diverse
group of students (VDOE,2010)

12. What does co-teaching look like?
These classrooms are
very unique and
the next two slides
demonstrate options
for teachers..........

13. Co-teaching Styles
1.One teach, one 2. Station teaching 3. Parallel teaching
observe This is when instruction is divided
over 3 centers. The students, are
This is when two teachers, each
with half the class group, present
also divided into three groups
This is when one teacher leads the the same material for the primary
and rotate from station to station.
large-group instruction while purpose of fostering instructional
Two stations are being taught by
the other gathers academic, differentiation and increasing
a teacher and one station
behavioral, or social data student participation
consists of independent work
Note. From “Coteaching: An illustration of the complexity of collaboration in special education,” by Friend, Cook, Hurley-
Chamberlain, & Shamberger, 2010, Journal of educational and psychological consultation, 20, p. 12.

14. Co-teaching styles
6. One teach,
4. Alternative
5. Teaming, one assist:
teaching
This is when in which
This is when in which one This is when both one teacher leads
teacher works with most
students while the other works teachers lead instruction while the
with a small group for large-group other circulates
remediation, enrichment, among the students
assessment, etc. instruction. offering individual
assistance.
Note. From “Coteaching: An illustration of the complexity of collaboration in special education,” by Friend, Cook, Hurley-
Chamberlain, & Shamberger, 2010, Journal of educational and psychological consultation, 20, p. 12.

15. Co-teaching has cultural benefits
When children only spend time with other children who are the
same, then they are never exposed to children who are different.
Segregating children is a disservice
By intermixing children of all abilities, children are challenged to
develop a sense of acceptance and not prejudice.
(Friend, Cook, Hurley-Chamberlain, & Shamberger et al.,2010).

16. Co-teaching fulfills political regulations
According to the
Individuals Education with Disabilities Act (IDEA)
all
children are entitled to a
free and appropriate education (FAPE).
(IDEA, 2004)
~Therefore ~
The solution of co-teaching supports political goals.
All students will benefit from co-teaching and inclusive
educational settings, because co-teaching practices encourage
collaboration among teachers and create challenging learning
environments for all students.

17. The educational opportunities for children with
disabilities have increased. Special education services
and teachers have entered the school buildings.
However, the segregation of students with disabilities
needs to be amended and public schools need to
embrace a more inclusive school system. The change
from a dual educational system, general versus special
education, to a united system where inclusion is the
focus, takes time; but, co-teaching is a way teachers
can collaborate and make inclusion a success.

18. References
Broderick, A., Mehta-Parekh, H., & Reid, K. (2005). Differentiating instruction
for disabled students in inclusive classrooms. Theory Into Practice, 44(3),
194–202.
Friend, M., Cook, L., Hurley-Chamberlain, D., Shamberger, C. (2010).
Coteaching: An illustration of the complexity of collaboration in special
education. Journal of educational and psychological consultation, 20, 9–
27.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004). Building the legacy: IDEA
2004. Retrieved from http://idea.ed.gov
Virginia Department of Education (2010). Stepping stones for success:
collaboration. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching/
career_resources/stepping_stones2