The Importance of Collaboration in Special Education

Collaboration is working together with individuals or a group to achieve a common goal.  This could not be more important than in education.  Everyday teachers are constantly working together with other teachers, school officials, and staff to ensure success for each individual student.  When it comes to special education, collaboration is the majority of what the job entails.  Special education teachers collaborate with:

• General Education Teachers
• School administratiors
• Parents and guardians
• School Psychologist / Therapists

Due to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) most students with mild disabilities have been included into a regular classroom setting.  This has called for special education and general education teachers to work together.  The special education teachers' role in a general education classroom is to help teach the curriculum, work with assessing and evaluations, and to help with classroom management.   It is important for the special education teacher to bring in a personal set of skills that will help enhance the learning of students.  Skills of both teacher should be able to work together to better help a student.  With this collaborative help, the teachers should be able to help meet individual learners' needs (Ripley, 1997). 

As a special education teacher working with school administration is a vital part of the job.  Working with these individuals help a special education teacher follow all necessary laws and procedures, work with Individualized Education Plans (IEP), and making sure that all children with disabilities are put in an appropriate classroom.  It is always important to build a strong relationship with these individuals to ensure success with a student (Top-Colleges, 2011).



Working with parents and guardians can be one of the most challenging parts of collaboration as a special education teacher.  Making strong and constant contact with parents is necessary.  It is a good idea to have parents come and volunteer every so often in the classroom, so that you both can work together to help their child.  For many children with disabilities it is required that frequent contact is made with a parent or guardian of a child to alert them of a students' struggles and successes (Wilmhurst & Brue, 2012).

Lastly, working with the school psychologist and therapists in another big part of collaboration when you are a special education teacher.  With a therapist it is important to know a students limitations and how they can be helped in the classroom.  The teacher also needs to be in constant contact with the therapist to be updated on a students progress.  Testing for disabilities are also done with therapist which calls for the special education teachers to step in and assist when needed.   The same is true with the school psychologist, they are also a major part of testing children for disabilities and maintaining an IEP. 


No matter what part of special education, collaboration is a vital part of the job.  Wether it is working with other teachers, school administrators, parents, guardians, school psychologist, or therapists working as a team to ensure the success of each child is everyones goal.  Without collaboration the job as a special education teacher could not be done. 



References:

*Ripley, S. (1997). Collaboration between general and special education teachers. Retrieved from http://www.teachervision.fen.com/teaching-methods/resource/2941.html
*Top-Colleges. (2011). Working with administrators as a special education teacher . Retrieved from http://www.top-colleges.com/blog/2010/02/28/working-with-administrators-as-a-special-education-teacher/
*Wilmshurst, L., & Brue, A. (2012). Parent-teacher collaboration. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/parent-teacher-collaboration/