Students with special needs are increasingly being served in the general education classroom. Co-teaching is one service delivery option designed to meet those needs. The purpose of this article is to synthesize data-based articles pertaining to co-teaching between general and special education personnel. Of 89 articles reviewed, only 6 provided sufficient quantitative information for an effect size to be calculated. Effect sizes for the individual studies ranged from low (0.24) to high (0.95), with an average total effect size of 0.40. Dependent measures were varied and included grades, achievement scores, and social and attitudinal outcomes. Results indicate that further research is needed to substantiate that co-teaching is an effective service delivery option for students with disabilities.

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This paper provides readers with an overview of the unique issues present in secondary classrooms and their impact on the practice of collaborative teaching between general and special educators. The authors focus on the changes that are occurring in secondary classrooms related to varied structures (such as block scheduling), higher standards, high stakes testing, a more diverse society, and how co-teaching can better address these issues. Readers are provided with practical strategies to enhance the effectiveness of teachers working together as well as tips to avoid the potential pitfalls when teaming at the secondary level.Co-teaching (sometimes known as collaborative or cooperative teaching, team teaching, or even teaming) is an educational practice currently being discussed in most schools across the nation. This practice is increasingly observed at the secondary level as a potential method of addressing the inclusive movement. Whatever the name, many educators look to co-teaching with a colleague in anticipation, while an equal number fear or even dread the thought.This new trend in service delivery between general and special education is being embraced at all levels. However, constraints on collaboration between educators are compounded at the secondary level. This separation of general and special education begins with the structure at the university level and continues into the structure imposed in many school settings. The purpose of this article is to recognize these constraints and to suggest strategies related to the content, structure and increasing diversity of today's classrooms when attempting to employ a co-teaching model at the secondary level.

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Kali is a special education resource teacher who has 32 students with mild to moderate disabilities on her caseload. The special education department at Chavez High School (CHS) decided 2 years ago to organize by grade level, so most of the students on Kali's caseload are in the 10th grade, although she has two in the 9th grade and four in the 11th. At the end of the last school year, CHS teachers discussed at great length how the school was supposed to become more "inclusive" and how the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act might affect secondary special educators.Although Kali was accustomed to teaching resource classes in English and algebra, her principal just informed her that she will be expected to "coteach" so that more of her students could be included in general education classes and have their needs met in those classes.Christien, a general education 10th grade English teacher, also was recently told that he would be co-teaching with Kali. It is only a few days before school begins, and Christien and Kali find themselves meeting and asking the same questions. What exactly is co-teaching? How can it be done at the secondary level? What role will, or even should, Kali have in the general education classroom? Is this the same thing as being a glorified aide? Can co-teaching really help to meet secondary students' needs? 52 ■ COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN