Evaluating Co-teaching as a Means for Successful Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in a Rural District

Student achievement appeared to be supported by classroom accommodations (e.g. scribes, color coding, rephrasing directions, graphic organizers) that teachers employed. These accommodations addressed different disabilities and learning styles, and were reported by one teacher as "just being a part of good teaching," a benefit to all students. This supports literature which suggests that teachers are willing to provide accommodations readily to meet the needs of all students (Bryant, Dean, Elrod, & Blackbourn, 1999; Lambert, Dodd, Christensen & Fishbaugh, 1996).

Test modifications (e.g. extended time, use of calculator, having the test read aloud) also were implemented according to students' IEPs; however, teachers' responses on surveys were conservative at best in their praise of test modifications. The application of test modifications was a source of teacher concern recorded early in the study that resulted in administrative interventions to explain the rationale for their use and to delineate clearly the regulations. Teachers at Geneseo did apply test modifications consistently during this evaluation. However, their hesitancy suggests several concerns. Teachers expressed some doubt about the validity of the process used for deciding on test modifications in IEP meetings. They also wondered about the consistent application of these modifications in every test situation. The ability of modifications to merely "level the playing field" and not inflate test scores for students with disabilities was also questioned by some. These concerns reflect the continuing lack of empirical research on testing modifications that are nevertheless supported by current policy (Thurlow, Hurley, Spicuzza, & El Sawaf, 1996). Further and urgent attention is needed to address the efficacy of test modifications as student performance data is collected and utilized for decision making in the current "high-stakes" testing environment.

Student behavior and self-concept

The administrative team established the second goal of the program to focus on the behavior of students with and without disabilities in co-taught classrooms as well as the comfort-level of learners in this new environment. The evaluation team examined the management of student behavior in the co-taught classrooms while also assessing the feelings of stability and belonging for each student in the study.

Classroom rules and behavioral referrals. Coteachers were interviewed to determine the rules communicated to students at the beginning of the school year and on methods for helping students follow them throughout the year. In most classrooms, rules of expected conduct were posted in simple words on a chalkboard, bulletin board, or wall poster. Elementary students generally experienced one set of classroom rules because they did not change classrooms often. In one classroom, teachers helped students develop rules at the beginning of the year and posted them in the form of a constitution, which all students signed. However, middle school students who changed classrooms for different subjects needed to abide by at least four variations on common classroom rules. Some middle-school classrooms no longer had the rules posted later in the year because the students were reported to "have learned the rules."