Students. Participants were 18 students in this co-taught first grade class that
included children with disabilities (n=3); those at-risk for a disability label (n=2); English
Language Learners (n=3); average performing students (i.e., academically performing at
first grade level, n=6); and students eligible for enrichment programs (i.e., advanced level
of academic performance, n= 4). By gender the students included eight males and 10
females representing white, African American, and Hispanic backgrounds. Table 1
provides additional information on the participants.
Besides students who performed on grade-level with no additional service, there
were four other groups of students identified by the services they were receiving within
the school-wide system. The at-risk group included students (n=2) who were in the
intervention stage of the referral process for special education services. It is important to
note that by the end of this study, it was determined that these students did not qualify for
special education services. The enrichment group included students who were identified
as gifted and talented within the school, thus allowing them to participate in school-wide
enrichment activities. The English Language Learners group included students receiving
English as a Second Language (ESL) services. The identified disabilities group included
Teachers and classroom assistants. This study involved a general educator,
special educator, and classroom assistant. The general educator held a bachelor’s degree
in elementary education and had four years of teaching experience at the lower
elementary level. This was her first experience co-teaching with a special educator. The
special educator was a first-year teacher who had completed a master’s degree in special
education/learning disabilities. The teaching assistant had 15 years of working with firstand
second-grade students. She had experience in working with students in small groups
providing guided practice and supervising independent practice so she felt confident with
monitoring and facilitating one of the stations during the station co-teaching model.