CORE MESSAGE AREA:

Collaborative Practices to Promote Student Success

Revised: June 2011

Revised by: Lynne Cook, Ph.D. CSU, Dominguez Hills

Introduction to Collaboration Core Message Area: 
 The revision of the Collaboration Core Messages was based on growing consensus among researchers, policy makers, and practitioners regarding best practices for encouraging and supporting collaboration among teachers and especially among general and special educators. Schools in which teachers collaborate have seen increased student achievement (Mc Leskey & Waldron, 2007); students in co-taught general education classes have been found to achieve higher than those in non-co-taught classes (McDuffie, Mastropieri, & Scruggs, 2009); and reforms and innovations that were developed and installed with the participation of teachers and other stakeholders have taken root and been accepted faster than those in which teachers did not have a voice (Sindelar, Shearer, Vendol-Hoppey, Todd, & Liebert, 2006). Consensus in the field is in favor of increased special-general education collaboration in the areas of assessment, intervention, core curriculum, and teaming. General and special educator collaboration has been a preferred strategy for promoting access to the general curriculum, increasing differentiation, and encouraging greater inclusion.

Although many advocate for collaborative practices, few clarify what it is that makes a practice collaborative. An accepted description is that collaboration is a style for direct interaction between two or more co-equal parties voluntarily engaged in shared decision making as they work toward a common goal (Cook & Friend, 1991; 1995). As a style, collaboration can occur only if it is used by individuals who are engaged in a specific task or activity – such as planning, assessing, teaching, intervening, collecting data, developing curriculum, and so forth. The focus topics for the Collaboration Core Message are critical elements of teaching that yield greater results when executed through collaborative relationships between general and special educators.

Background on Core Message Areas:
A focus of the State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG), a federally funded grant, is to communicate common messages to the field about selected topics. These common, or core messages, articulate critical research findings and essential components of effective application. All core messages have been identified by experts in the field and have been approved by the California Department of Education, Special Education Division.

California Services for Technical Assistance and Training (CalSTAT), using SPDG funds, supports training and technical assistance requests that reflect any or all of the Core Message Areas (http://www.calstat.org/ta.html). After reading the Core Message Area topics on Collaboration, just select the Resources links listed after each topic to view the messages and supporting research.

CORE MESSAGE AREA: COLLABORATION

1. Develop and Refine Effective Communication and Interaction Skills Needed to Foster Collaborative Relationships
   Effective communication and interaction skills are essential to successfully build and maintain collaborative relationships with colleagues, families, and students. Through good communication skills team members can create an ambience of open communication, concise messages, probe for clarifications, recognize nonverbal signals, and develop mutual understanding. Good communication involves a set of complex skills that can be mastered with training and practice.
   Resources and Web sites
   
   
2. Focus on Understanding Elements of Collaboration and Contextual Influences
   Learning to form effective partnerships requires a thorough understanding of collaboration. In addition to strong communication and interaction skills, effective collaboration requires awareness of the complexity and subtlety of collaboration as is often seen in the variety of programs or services in which it occurs including teams, consultation, co-teaching, co-planning, co-assessing, and family partnerships. The context in which the collaborative services are to be delivered is the final component to consider. Among context features are administrative and structural support for collaboration such as scheduled collaboration, class size or caseload, and professional development opportunities.
   Resources and Web sites
   
   
3. Engage in Co-Teaching
   “Co-teaching” is an increasingly common practice in today’s schools and the quality of instruction and the benefits for students vary considerably. There is often confusion about what co-teaching is and how it differs from other in-class services. The unevenness of its implementation is widely recognized.  Co-teaching, as supported by its many advocates, is a service delivery option for providing special education or related services to students with disabilities or other special needs while they remain in their general education classes. Co-teaching occurs when two or more professionals jointly plan and deliver substantive instruction to a diverse, blended group of students in a single space.
   Resources and Web sites
   
   
4. Utilize Collaborative Assessment and Planning
   One of the most important, yet most neglected, aspects of general- special education collaboration is collaborative assessment and planning. Common planning time enables more than just an opportunity to hammer out the nuts and bolts of instruction; it also allows educators the time to engage in focused reflection and discussion needed to develop a shared vision and shared plans for adoption or initiation and implementation of strategies for effective instruction.
   Resources and Web sites
   
   
5. Collaborate with Families to Enhance and Support Student Learning
   Families are critical resources for educators. They have unique knowledge of students’ skills, abilities, perspectives, communities and interests. They hold personal goals for their children. Teachers must collaborate with families to better understand their students and maximize their learning.
   Resources and Web sites

For questions regarding the Core Message Area: Collaboration, or Technical Assistance requests, please contact CalSTA TProject Assistant Director Lorie Fennell at 707-843-1199, or lorie.fennell@calstat.org.