Special Education: Collaboration Between Teachers the Majority

Special Education: Collaboration Between Teachers

The majority of special education students receive instruction in both general education classes as well as special education support classes. Most of these students are enrolled in Resource Support Programs in which a special education teacher has responsibility for offering learning supports across the general education curriculum. The job of the special education teacher, or Resource Specialist, is to ensure that the student's IEP is properly implemented. This requires ongoing communication and collaboration with general education teachers.

In most cases a special education student in elementary school and above will have a least two to three different teachers in addition to his or her special education support. These general education teachers need to be offered guidance and support regarding how to modify curriculum and how to properly implement any behavior plans.

The most effective way in which teachers can collaborate is to ensure that they spend a sufficient amount of time in the general education classroom offering the needed support to the student. Most special education programs are designed to ensure that students have "push-in" support from a specialist, and that special education provider should ensure that he or she is present in the classroom where the student has the highest level of need for academic support. By being present in the classroom the special education teacher can interact directly with the general education teacher and offer insight and teaching tips.

Communication is a key factor in effective collaboration, and special education teachers should make face-to-face contact as well as using memos or emails to request updates on student progress. Many teachers develop very effective systems in which their student track their academic and behavioral progress in a log or planner, and general education teachers can leave comments or questions in order to ensure that communication flows between the teachers. General education teachers can, then, request extra help as it is needed for various projects, tests, or any classwork the student is struggling with.

Teachers should remember that IEP goals and stipulations should be monitored on an ongoing basis; so short-term goals should be continuously evaluated and adjusted as needed. If, for example, a student is making faster progress than expected in a math class or English class, the special education teacher should visit the classroom and work with the teacher to adjust the modifications. This type of on-going communication and collaboration ensures that the student can make the most progress possible, and it can be accomplished without requiring a full and formal IEP meeting with an entire team.