Administrators who espouse a commitment to inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms can significantly improve inclusion and co-teaching within their schools. Administrators are instrumental in leading schools to effective inclusion and co-teaching practices (Smith & Leonard, 2005). Those who support inclusion and…

Fostering inclusion of students with Special Education Needs (SEN) within mainstream classroom supports positive education outcomes for all. Teachers' attitudes towards inclusion can also impact; those teachers who perceive themselves as well-trained are more likely to hold positive attitudes towards inclusion. Classroom practices which focus on…

Rural school leaders are faced with challenges to close the achievement gap between subgroups, mainly general and special education. Schools and school systems face several barriers to move forward with positive trends in the data provided by the Alabama State Department of Education. The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' perceptions…

Co-teaching may be a promising strategy to improve inclusive secondary mathematics education in rural schools. Professional development (PD) aids in special and general education teachers' co-teaching implementation, yet little empirical research examines how to effectively train and support co-teachers. In this study, we describe one U.S. state's…

Federal laws require schools to incorporate co-teaching environments, often comprised of an inclusion specialist and content specialist. Research shows individual teachers can make improvements to their practice by engaging in critical reflection through noticing. The authors present a research-based professional development model designed for…

Classroom teachers are responsible for creating inclusive classrooms wherein every learner has the opportunity to succeed. Challenges include insufficient training and education in the areas of student exceptionalities, changing funding models and potential budget cuts, and effective coteaching. Steps must be taken to bridge the gap between what…

A shared sense of responsibility for the education of students with disabilities can have positive effects on both teachers and students. When special education (SE) and general education (GE) teachers work together, this collaborative relationship is a positive variable in teacher satisfaction and retention. Furthermore, teacher collaboration and…

This study investigates collaborative attitudes and practices in mainstream Italian schools. Research questions are the following: what kind of teachers' and students' collaboration occurs in inclusive settings? To what extent did significant differences exist among general education teachers and support education teachers? To what extent did…

As schools turn towards co-teaching models to implement inclusion practices (US Department of Education, 2010), teachers are increasingly being asked to operate with a co-teacher (Scruggs et al., 2007). However, most research on co-teaching remains at the survey level; it does not examine factors that may influence co-teaching relationships over…

This paper is an extension of a prior research project where Kenyan primary school teachers began using inclusive education strategies that proved beneficial for meeting the needs of diverse primary school students. Specifically, this paper highlights a project where these inclusive practices were expanded to a second region of western Kenya. This…

The study seeks to provide insight into how "contested and ambiguous spaces" provide opportunities for "teacher agency." Data was drawn from a grounded theory study of teacher agency conducted with 17 public school teachers and one administrator in a co-taught inclusion program in a large middle school. Discourse theory,…

The intersectionally conscious collaboration protocol for teacher educators (ICC-TE) expands on existing models of collaboration by drawing from intersectionality as conceptualized by Black feminist theorists, collaborative teacher education, and frameworks for stakeholders to establish and maintain ethical, student-centered relationships. The…

In this study, we assessed how Finnish teachers' professional actions support their students' engagement and positive self-image at school. This qualitative multimethod study is comprised of three sub-studies: (1) the research Data Set A included pedagogical reflective journals, observations of, and interviews with, two Finnish teachers and their…

A total of 77 teachers working in inclusive settings in North Eastern USA were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the barriers that may hinder the use of co-teaching. Results indicated that (a) teachers lack the necessary skills required for implementing co-teaching, and (b) co-teaching may require a lot of resources for its successful…

Coteaching is becoming a common practice in secondary classrooms as a way to provide special education services to students with disabilities (SWD). Effective coteaching supports an inclusive philosophy of schooling by creating appropriate learning spaces for diverse learners, allowing learners access to general education curricula, building a…