The perspectives of Colorado general and special education teachers on the barriers to co-teaching in the inclusive elementary school classroom

The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of general and special education teachers regarding the barriers to the successful implementation of co-teaching in inclusive classrooms at an elementary school in the state of Colorado. The research employed observations and semi-structured interviews with eight co-teachers. By employing thematic analysis, the results found the following factors are considered significant by general and special education elementary school teachers: (a) lack of shared vision of co-teaching; (b) lack of co-teaching planning time; (c) lack of effective instructional supervision and establishment of clear expectations; and, (d) insufficient opportunities for professional development.