Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Gary Reglin
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
academic achievement, attendance, co-teaching, collaborative teaching, cooperative planning, disabilities, eighth graders, English, exceptionalities, instructional adaptations, learning disabilities, math, one group pretest-posttest design, self-concept, student achievement, students, teacher collaboration, team teaching, teachers, written language
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of co-teaching on the academic achievement of eighth graders with learning disabilities. Although much has been written on the logistics of starting and maintaining co-teaching relationships between teachers of students with and without disabilities and teachers of students with exceptionalities, there is less written on the effectiveness of co-teaching on the achievement of students with learning disabilities. Using a one group pretest-posttest design, the study was designed to determine if attendance in co-taught English and math classes would contribute to an increase in written language, math and self-concept scores. The study was also designed to investigate if attendance in co-taught English and math classes would result in students receiving a numerical grade of 70 or higher in those classes.
The writer worked collaboratively in two English classes with the same teacher and in two math classes with different teachers. The teachers met weekly to plan lessons and possible instructional adaptations. Various co-teaching techniques were used throughout implementation.
Analysis of data revealed significant improvement (p< .05) in student math and self concept scores. At the conclusion of implementation, 16 of 17 (94.1%) students were passing English and 14 of 17 (82.4%) students were passing math with a numerical grade of 70 or higher. The four teachers involved expressed satisfaction with the co-teaching model and felt having two teachers working collaboratively benefited all students.