Guidelines for Co-Teaching in Texas - Region 17
Guidelines for Co-Teaching in Texas - Region 17
Guidelines for Co-Teaching in Texas - Region 17
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4. How are <strong>in</strong>clusion, least restrictive environment (LRE), and mean<strong>in</strong>gful access to the generalcurriculum different?Students with disabilities must have mean<strong>in</strong>gful access to the general curriculum <strong>in</strong> a least restrictiveenvironment.Inclusion is a belief that every child is a vital part of the learn<strong>in</strong>g community and has a right to belong <strong>in</strong>a classroom with age appropriate peers. Inclusive schools provide whatever it takes to ensure thatstudents access mean<strong>in</strong>gful learn<strong>in</strong>g and do not require students to have certa<strong>in</strong> prerequisite skills orabilities to belong. An <strong>in</strong>clusive belief system is based on a deep respect <strong>for</strong> diversity. Note that <strong>in</strong>clusiveschools sometimes f<strong>in</strong>d that services <strong>in</strong> a separate sett<strong>in</strong>g are necessary <strong>in</strong> order to meet student needs.Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is a term used <strong>in</strong> the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act(34 CFR §300.114) that refers to a sett<strong>in</strong>g where students with disabilities can be educated alongsidetheir nondisabled peers to the maximum extent possible unless the nature or severity of the disabilityis such that education <strong>in</strong> regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot beachieved satisfactorily. The LRE <strong>for</strong> a student with disabilities may fall along a cont<strong>in</strong>uum of placementoptions from a general education classroom to a residential treatment facility.Mean<strong>in</strong>gful access to the general curriculum is a phrase that emphasizes the importance of align<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>structional expectations with the enrolled grade level content standards, the mandated <strong>for</strong> all students<strong>Texas</strong> Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). In some <strong>in</strong>stances, students with disabilities may needmodifications or accommodations to demonstrate proficiency or to develop the foundation skills alignedwith the grade-level standards.5. Is co-teach<strong>in</strong>g similar to content mastery?No. <strong>Co</strong>ntent mastery programs generally provide supplemental tutor<strong>in</strong>g/support to assist students <strong>in</strong>complet<strong>in</strong>g grade level work. <strong>Co</strong>ntent mastery support is usually provided <strong>in</strong> a separate classroom.Generally, <strong>in</strong> content mastery situations, a student with a disability receives direct <strong>in</strong>struction <strong>in</strong> a generaleducation sett<strong>in</strong>g from a general education teacher and then leaves that sett<strong>in</strong>g to receive more <strong>in</strong>dividualsupport (but not direct <strong>in</strong>struction) from a special education teacher <strong>in</strong> a special education sett<strong>in</strong>g.6. Is co-teach<strong>in</strong>g the same as it<strong>in</strong>erant support?No. Generally <strong>in</strong> it<strong>in</strong>erant support, plann<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>in</strong>struction, delivery of <strong>in</strong>struction, and evaluation of studentlearn<strong>in</strong>g is not collaborative <strong>in</strong> nature. Often, the special education teacher supports students <strong>in</strong> multipleclassrooms dur<strong>in</strong>g the same class period. For example, the special educator may spend 20 m<strong>in</strong>utes<strong>in</strong> Classroom A and 30 m<strong>in</strong>utes <strong>in</strong> Classroom B dur<strong>in</strong>g the same class period. This is another type of<strong>in</strong>clusive practice, but is not considered a co-teach<strong>in</strong>g model because both teachers are not equallyresponsible <strong>for</strong> the <strong>in</strong>struction of all students <strong>in</strong> the classroom.7. Can co-teach<strong>in</strong>g be considered an <strong>in</strong>tervention <strong>for</strong> Response to Intervention (RtI)?No. <strong>Co</strong>-teach<strong>in</strong>g is used as an <strong>in</strong>clusive service delivery model <strong>for</strong> students with disabilities <strong>in</strong> whicha certified special education professional and a certified general education professional <strong>in</strong> the sameclassroom simultaneously provide differentiated <strong>in</strong>struction to all students with<strong>in</strong> that classroom. RtI is atiered <strong>in</strong>tervention model <strong>in</strong> which teachers implement research-based <strong>in</strong>terventions to support struggl<strong>in</strong>glearners and closely monitor the impact of the <strong>in</strong>terventions on student learn<strong>in</strong>g. <strong>Co</strong>-teachers may usean RtI model <strong>in</strong> the classroom to meet <strong>in</strong>dividual student needs. Similarly, on some campuses <strong>in</strong> whicha group of students is receiv<strong>in</strong>g Tier 2 or Tier 3 <strong>in</strong>tervention, a decision could be made to co-teach tofacilitate delivery of the <strong>in</strong>tervention. S<strong>in</strong>ce co-teach<strong>in</strong>g is a model that supports all students, it would notbe considered an <strong>in</strong>dividualized <strong>in</strong>tervention.© <strong>Texas</strong> Education Agency / Education Service Center, <strong>Region</strong> 20 <strong>Texas</strong> <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>Teach<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Guidel<strong>in</strong>es</strong> | 51