The Call for Collaboration in Teacher Education

Overview & Synopsis

As the number of students who are struggling in school grows, the need for general and special education to come together to create the vision and capacity to educate all students becomes more and more pronounced. Collaboration by teachers is called for in the schools, likewise, it is called for in teacher education. Collaboration between general and special education in teacher education programs--the dialogues, the examination of what should be taught, the rethinking of practicum experiences for teachers, the sharing of knowledge and expertise, the faculty modeling--all have high potential to support teachers' ability to work together for meaningful change. In this article, the authors first explore the call for collaboration in schools--challenges to practices traditionally associated with separate general and special education, and the major current response to these difficulties--inclusive schools and classrooms. Second, they explore the larger educational context in which these collaborations are situated. In the discussion of the context of collaboration in the schools and in higher education alike, they consider the role of reform, changes in standards and accountability, and expanded views of teaching and learning. Finally, they consider the challenges teacher educators face as they work together to develop and implement collaborative teacher education programs. (Contains 1 footnote.)