COOPERATIVE TEACHING The second collaboration model is cooperative teaching.

This is another model for integrating special needs students into the general education classroom. In a coteaching classroom a general education and special education teacher would collaborate and work together through consultation, planning and problem solving about how to teach specific students, or the special education teacher might work directly alongside the general education teacher in a class made up of students with and without disabilities (Woolfolk, 2007). According to Cook and Friend (1996) coteaching occurs when two or more professionals jointly deliver substantive instruction to a diverse, or blended, group of students in a single physical space. In other words, the special education teacher becomes the strategist, where standard lesson is used and taught in different ways so that the student with special needs can access the learning requirements, together with other students in the class. Teachers not only have to discuss about lessons and curriculum, but they also need to agree on who will teach what and which co-teaching styles will be used. This is crucial to ensure special education students are in the least restrictive environment. With the passage of Public L. 94-142, special education students are given right to receive public education in the least restrictive environment (Wiseman, 2005). Co-teachers must make sure that their instructional strategies lead to more engaged time and participation for all students and at the same time meeting individualized needs of students with disabilities. Co-teaching enriches learning opportunities for all students, especially those with unique learning needs. Teachers share their specialties in certain area based on previous education, experience and expertise. It allows teachers to view the same classroom from various views. Co-teaching offers opportunities for teachers to use a variety of large and small group teaching strategies (Thomas et al, 2000). Co-teaching approaches are (1) station teaching, (2) parallel teaching, (3) alternative teaching, (4) one teach, one support and (5) team teaching. Team Teaching Team teaching happens when both teachers plan and share the instruction of all students. For example, teachers may exchange their roles in leading a discussion. This may include shared lecturing, dividing responsibilities for presenting the instruction, or what one teacher has affectionately called tag team teaching in which one teacher begins the lesson and the other takes over when it seems appropriate (Wood,2002). Both teachers deliver the lesson together and either teacher can raise points at any time. One may explain and the other demonstrates; one may speak while the other manages the computer and so on. Team teaching allows the regular education teacher and the special education teacher to work within a classroom as equal partners who co participate in teaching (Farber, 1998). Team teaching provides a mechanism for each specialist to support and to respect the unique contributions of the other teaching professional. Station Teaching

The co-teachers who use this approach divide the instructional content, and are responsible for planning and teaching the particular content. According to Thomas et al (2000) teachers use station teaching to present or review new content, supervise practice and test student skills at direct or independent workstations for small groups of students. Students have to move from one station to another where at each station a teacher provides various activities. Students benefit from the lower teacher-pupil ratio and students with disabilities may be integrated into each group rather than singled out (Cook and Friend, 1996). Teachers must be careful when dividing instructions so that it does not affect students understanding. They also must keep track of the time so that students are prepared to move to the next station as scheduled. Parallel Teaching In this approach, teachers plan instructions together but each teaches it to diverse groups comprised of half of the students in the class at a same time. According to Friend and Cook (1996) the primary purpose of this approach is to lower the teacherstudent ratio. This approach is suitable for drill and practice, test review or projects that need close supervision by teacher. For example, a month before students sit for UPSR, two teachers plan weekly 30-minute parallel teaching to guide students review and practice effective exam strategies. Thomas et al, (2000) said that this approach provides effective review format and encourages student responses. However, the disadvantages of this approach are that it may be difficult to coordinate and thus increases noise level. Alternative Teaching Teachers create small, strategically groups of six to seven students to work on specific skills, concepts or projects. In alternative teaching, one teacher pre or reteaches material to small group of students whereas the other teacher teaches the bigger group in some other activity that the students in the small group can miss. According to Goldwriter (2008) this small group can consist of students who need extra help, or students who are advanced and need more of a challenge. This approach is useful for students who have been absent. Teachers who give help for the special students should also include some non-special students into the group so that the special education students will not be singled out. One Teach, One Support One teacher has primary responsibility for designing and delivering particular instruction to a whole group of students. The second teacher supports the first teacher by observing selected students and providing assistance for those who need. Cook and Friend (1996) stated that when one teacher observes, he should get specific information on students observed and keep record of it. Joint planning between two teachers is necessary whereby, if scheduled well, it provides an opportunity for special educators to learn the general education curriculum design and class routines. Teachers should exchange roles so that students know that there are two teachers who have equal responsibility and authority in the class.

References 1. Woolfolk, A. (2007). Educational Psychology, Tenth Edition. Pearson International Edition USA. 2. Friend, M. & Cook, L. (1996). Interaction:Collaboration Skills for School Professionals. USA: Longman Publishers. 3. W.Wood, J. (2002). Adapting Instruction To Accomodation Students In Inclusive Settings. USA: Pearson Education,Inc. 4. Wiseman, D.L., Knight, S.L. & Cooner, D.D. (2005). Becoming a Teacher in a Field-Based Setting. 3rd Ed. United States of America: Thomson Wadsworth. 5. Thomas, W.C., Korinek, L., Mclaughlin, V.L. & Wiliams, B.T. (2000). Collaboration for Inclusive Education:Developing Successful Programs. USA: Allyn and Bacon. 6. Goldwriter. (2008). Co-Teaching and Different Styles of Co-Teaching:Co-Teaching in The classroom. Bright Hub IncWebsite