To adequately prepare preservice teachers to implement inclusive classrooms, teacher preparation programs must encourage professional interaction, collaboration, and knowledge about inclusion. Although some of these skills can be presented in coursework, prospective teachers must be provided with opportunities to practice these skills in classroom settings. This case study explored the experiences of two pairs of preservice teachers who co-taught as they were placed with teams of collaborating cooperating teachers for a semester-long student teaching experience. Analysis of data sources including student journals, interviews, and observation notes resulted in themes including the comfort of peer support, the impact of personality on the co-teaching experience, the structure of co-teaching interactions, and the impact on children. Implications for designing collaborative experiences in teacher education programs are discussed.

The existing literature on transition programs suggests that for effective transition of individuals With developmental disabilities, the programs must place emphasis on both the social and the vocational goals of these students. This article describes a pilot project that brought transitioning young adults With disabilities to a college campus for job-sampling. Seventeen high school students With developmental disabilities participated in this program and Were mentored by 23 college students attending a small, private university in suburban NeW Jersey, some of Whom Were planning to become teachers. In total, students With and Without disabilities spent 9 hours together. Preliminary data included university students' journals, special education students' journals, college faculty field notes, and questionnaires and anecdotal data collected from the college community and the local school district. Data indicated that this project had benefits for young adults With and Without disabilities and supported the use of a community-based service-learning model. This study holds implications for prospective special education teachers and the college community.

With the continuing increase of inclusive education in our public school classrooms today, there is a great deal of interest in co-teaching teams. Research indicates that administrative support is a critical factor in co-teaching effectiveness. In this study, we explored administrator knowledge and practices related to the supervision and evaluation of co-teachers in inclusive classroom settings. Clear themes that emerged were related to professional preparation and training; expectations and perspectives of co-teaching and inclusive practice; and supporting, supervising, and evaluating co-teachers. The data indicated that there is considerable inconsistency in administrator knowledge and practices and that professional development for administrators is warranted. Implications for practice as well as questions and issues for further research are discussed.

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For young adults with developmental disabilities, postsecondary experiences on a university campus with same-age peers can provide opportunities for learning and social integration. Through the collaborative support of university instructors, a preservice teacher, and her mother, a young woman with Down syndrome was successfully included in a speech communications course at a 4-year, private university. Our purpose here was to explore the impact of this experience on the student, her classmates, and preservice teacher who offered peer support. The experience provided opportunities for interaction with age-appropriate peers and was a positive learning experience for all participants. Challenges emerged related to assessment, expectations, and building relationships. Implications for potential inclusive transition opportunities at the university were discussed.