Understanding Shared Responsibility Between Special and General Education Teachers in the Rural Classroom

A shared sense of responsibility for the education of students with disabilities can have positive effects on both teachers and students. When special education (SE) and general education (GE) teachers work together, this collaborative relationship is a positive variable in teacher satisfaction and retention. Furthermore, teacher collaboration and an inclusive delivery of SE services in the GE classroom can foster increased student achievement, motivation, self-esteem, and social growth. In this study, the researcher conducted individually administered surveys with 35 teachers in two rural districts to further explore the variable of a shared sense of responsibility: what tasks, how, and where responsibilities were shared. Following the presentation of the survey results is a description of the professional development that was provided to teachers in collaboration and co-teaching. Barriers and benefits to increasing teacher collaboration and co-teaching are discussed, including outcomes for students in one co-taught classroom over a 2-year period.