Co-teaching, a main strategy of the inclusionary movement, has been widely researched over the last 25 years. Although there is much research in the way of student outcomes and best practices, the research on teachers’ perceptions of co-teaching on the secondary level is non-existent. Although all of the research on best practices of co-teaching suggests that voluntary participation and choice of partner is important when implementing a co-teaching program, school administration tend to veer away from giving teachers a choice due to scheduling or financial constraints.
Using qualitative, case-study research methods, including teacher and administrative interviews, survey and field observations, this study’s findings add to the existing body of research that focuses on teachers’ experiences in co-teaching. This research reaffirms findings from extant research while also identifying new themes of choice of partner and/or participation as well as efficacy.. Teacher choice and teacher collective efficacy informed the positive experiences of co-teaching in important and interesting ways and should be acknowledged by district level and school wide administrators looking to implement or improve co-teaching initiatives. This study not only endeavored to explain, understand, and share the stories of 12 teachers given choice, but it also hopes to bring awareness to the understanding of the value teachers bring to their craft through their self and collective efficacy. Also, this study attempts to describe the influence administrative decision-making has on the practice and perceptions of teacher
