Graduate Program

Curriculum and Instruction

Degree Name

Master of Science in Education (MSEd)

Semester of Degree Completion

Summer 2021

Thesis Director

Sham'ah Md-Yunus

Thesis Committee Member

Alexis Jones

Thesis Committee Member

Melissa L. Jones-Bromenshenkel

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine if co-teaching is an effective strategy of inclusion for students with Individualized Educational Program (IEP). Specifically, students in the general education classroom for grade levels kindergarten to fifth grade in the state of Illinois. Co-teaching has been utilized in middle and upper-grade levels, but the implementation of co-teaching has started to integrate into elementary grades. Two questions guided the study; is co-teaching an effective inclusive strategy for students with an IEP in a general education classroom; and does the model of co-teaching impact the student's academic progress? A quantitative study utilizing a survey-questionnaire method was designed to examine if teachers perceived co-teaching as an effective strategy to include students with IEPs a total of 140 participants in the study with 67 general educators, 63 special educators, and ten participants certified in both. Results revealed 61.43% of participants strongly agree that they understand the goal and purpose of the co-teaching program (M=3.59, SD=0.59). The participants also agreed that co-teaching is benefiting students who are at risk (M= 3.53, SD= 0.65). Further, data reported that the one-teach one-assist co-teaching model received the most “often” by the participant (M= 3.33, SD= 0.69). The results of the study revealed that teachers agreed with the effectiveness of co-teaching being implemented in elementary grades. The data showed no significance in the model utilized during implementation and the effectiveness or impact on a student’s academic progress.

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