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Article 1: Malone, D. M., & Gallagher, P. A. (2010). Special education teachers’ attitudes and perceptions of teamwork. Remedial and Special Education, 31(5), 330–342. doi:10.1177/0741932509338362

Learning Objective: How can professionals work together collaboratively?

How does the article support the learning objective? This article will help students understand benefits and challenges of collaboration by learning about colleagues’ perceptions of and experiences within these relationships.

Summary: This article presents the results of a study in which special educators were administered three surveys related to collaboration in order to identify perceptions of strengths and limitations of these relationships.

Critical Thinking Questions:

1.  How can collaboration help stakeholders and their families take ownership and participate more actively in the process?

2.  How can ethnic and cultural differences be supported throughout the development and maintenance of collaborative relationships with families as well as fellow educators?

Article 2: Whitbread, K. M., Bruder, M. B., Fleming, G., & Park, H. J. (2007). Collaboration in special education: Parent—professional training. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 39(4), 6–14. doi:10.1177/004005990703900401

Learning Objective: How can professionals collaborate with families?

How does the article support the learning objective? This article will help students understand collaboration with families through an overview of previous research and a description of a relationship-fostering program.

Summary: This article provides a brief overview of literature/studies and a description of a project aimed at fostering relationships between teachers and parents in support of more effective educational planning and implementation. The curriculum, training procedures, and outcomes of the program are discussed.

Critical Thinking Questions:

1.  What types of collaborative skills/strategies could be utilized by Mrs. Jennings to alleviate some of the issues described in the fictional scenario (presented at the start of this article)?

2.  Why do you think that providing collaboration training with the parents and education professionals in unison (i.e., together) may be more effective than separate training modules for each of the groups?