Journal of Education & Social Policy

Students’ Concepts about Their Classmates with Disabilities, In Co-Taught Classes: A Research Based On Greek Primary Schools
Kassiani Tsiouli, Spyridon Georgios Soulis

Abstract
Co-teaching of students with or without disabilities in the same classroom, with the presence of two teachers (a special education teacher and a general education teacher) is being implemented at a rapid pace on Greek primary schools throughout the last decade. However, this teaching method lacks of published research studies, concerning its actual benefits in the educational process as well as in the acceptance of children with disabilities from their peers. In this paper, we explore the perceptions of 336 primary school students, half of whom attend classes with students with disabilities and the other half without them, for their concepts about their peers with disabilities. Positive attitudes toward students with disabilities from students, who are co-taught with them, provide initial information on the potentials of co-teaching to support an inclusive school environment in which all students can be equally accepted.

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