This paper presents a rationale for the compatibility of cooperative learning and invitational education. Invitational education focuses on how teachers can invite students to see themselves as able, valuable, and self-directing in an interactive group situation. Specifically, the rationale demonstrates how cooperatively structured disagreement can take place in an inviting manner. One method for structuring cooperative controversy is described and the findings from a limited research project on this method is summarized. A pilot study is reported in which college of education students participated in cooperative disagreement on a controversial topic in education. (JD)