Date of Award
3-2-2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Education
Department
Education
Program
Differentiated Instruction
Capstone Instructor
Brian Boothe, Ed. D.
Second Reader
Tosca Grimm, Ed. D.
Keywords
Co-teaching, Individual Education Plan (IEP), Least restrictive environment, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
Abstract
Delivering special education services has evolved as research continues to support the importance of an inclusive classroom. The development of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 required that all students receiving special education have the same access and opportunities to the same high academic standards as students without disadvantaged backgrounds such as race, disability, and socioeconomic status (U.S. Department of Education, 2000). Considering the requirements to keep all students in their natural learning environments as much as possible, innovative ways to meet the individual needs of each student continue to progress. Co-teaching is a service delivery model which includes one general and special education teacher working in unison to deliver core curriculum in the classroom setting. Not only does this service delivery model meet the legally binding requirements of an Individual Education Plan (IEP), but it also honors the least restrictive environment recommendations. While co-teaching sounds appealing to most, there are many components to consider which directly impact the overall success of the teaching model. A multitude of research have analyzed the effectiveness, potential barriers, and overall impact co-teaching has on teaching staff and students. While the research studies painted a picture of what works and what does not work with co-teaching, the direct student impact on academic achievement and behavioral success remains in question. The results suggested when front-end foundational supports are established prior to implementation, co-teaching can have a positive impact on student achievement.