This qualitative study is a follow-up to an initial large-scale case study on the implementation of a co-taught curriculum in one California teacher preparation program. In a continuation of the initial case study, this follow-up study examined faculty perceptions of the necessary course attributes, resources, and attitudes for a successful…

General and special education teachers in a northern California school district (NCSD) have concerns about the academic performance of students with learning disabilities (SwLD) as they frequently have deficits in English language arts and math on state-mandated assessments. Teachers at NCSD were concerned about the pull-out model where SwLD are…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 states that individualized education program (IEP) teams are composed of members with distinct identities, roles, expertise, and histories. Although team members must work together to implement educational and related services for learners with special needs, little is known about…

Evidence suggests preschool age students with disabilities (SWD) benefit from inclusive settings. Inclusive education has positive impacts on students' social-emotional, language, and cognitive skills. Yet, preschool age SWD continue to have limited access to inclusive education, and research suggests numerous reasons, including teacher practice.…

As we progress into a future where more students with IEPs are in general education classes, teachers must be innovative, creative, and passionate about providing an opportunity for all students to succeed in the classroom. Rather than students with IEPs being taken from their classrooms to receive remedial services from their special education…

The Individual with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) 2007, a federal special education law, states that students with disabilities requiring special education services can use accommodations or adaptations of the curriculum to access the general education curriculum. A shortened assignment, as an accommodation, can help learning disabled…

In this paper, the authors address the question: what are skills, knowledge and professional dispositions that U.S. co-teachers need to balance the seemingly competing mandates of NCLB and IDEIA in order to prepare teachers for the classrooms of today and tomorrow? Based on the results of two recent studies that focused on secondary co-teacher…

Current emphasis on teacher effectiveness in educational policy poses a challenge for the evaluation of special education teachers and English language learner (ELL) specialists. Most evaluation systems focus on student achievement and teacher practice; however, few systems have the capacity to differentiate among specialty area educators, address…

This study investigated the perspectives of high school students with learning disabilities on co-teaching. Two focus groups were conducted at two high schools in southern California, involving 10 students with learning disabilities. Guiding questions were used to seek students' perceptions on how participation in co-taught general education…