This paper clarifies vocabulary in the area of collaboration in schools, describes characteristics of collaboration, and outlines a set of principles. Principles explain that collaboration is not a prerequisite in most school programs, may occur informally, requires time to develop, is not a panacea, and may raise ethical issues for special…

This guide is intended to assist groups of special educators to plan, design, and implement mutual professional support activities. The first section, on the nature of professional support groups, presents a definition and discussion of activity focus, format, permanence of focus, and structure. The second section looks specifically at the role of…

This chapter, taken from a guide to designing, implementing, and evaluating instruction and services for students with disabilities, addresses the issue of teacher collaboration. It provides information about the nature of teacher collaboration, its role in relation to special education service delivery as well as other school trends, its…