No abstract

Collaboration among professionals is an essential component of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the cornerstone of successful inclusion efforts. Our review of the literature, however, revealed little research documenting the collaborative efforts of general and special education teachers. We included literature in general and special education to determine the fundamental characteristics of successful collaboration, the barriers to collaboration, and the benefits of collaboration for teachers and students. Our findings are organized around the following themes: shared vision; commitment to collaboration; communities of care; frequent, positive, extended interactions; supportive, collaboration leadership; teacher benefits; and student benefits. Finally, we discuss future research issues and implications for teacher education in light of our findings.

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate parents' and teachers' sensitivity to the unhappiness and depression of 110 elementary-aged undercontrolled children being treated in an inpatient program. Sensitivity was operationally defined as congruence between the child's responses on two self-report measures (Children's Depression Inventory and Hopelessness Scale for Children) and the adults' behavioral ratings of the children on behavior checklists (Child Behavior Checklist and Teacher Report Form). The first hypothesis that children's self-reports of depressive symptoms would not be significantly correlated with parents' and teachers' ratings of depressive symptomatology was supported. Secondly, it was hypothesized that there would be no differences in the level of self-reported depressive symptoms when children who were rated as depressed by their parents and teachers were compared with children rated as not depressed by their parents and teachers. This was also supported. Finally, it was hypothesized that children who reported significant levels of depressive symptomatology would be rated by their parents and teachers as having more behavior problems than children who did not report significant levels of depressed symptomatology. This was partially supported. The implications of these results in relation to identification and treatment are discussed.