As a special educator, I want to use well-researched practices with my students. The reasons are logical: I want my students to learn well, I want to try researched practices so I can share them with credibility with my educator peers, and best practice dictates that IEP goals are based on researched practice.

One practice — cooperative learning — has been explored multiple ways with students in resource and inclusion settings.

Students generally enjoy working together. However, students with learning disabilities often do not have opportunities to be in a leadership role in their classrooms.

Cooperative learning provides an opportunity for students to learn to be leaders. When paired, one method of cooperative learning requires that one student takes a leader role, while the other takes a learner role. Then the students switch roles, giving the learning partner the opportunity to be a leader.

In this methodology, students are learning from each other and supporting each other. This is motivating and helpful to both students.

In the resource or the general education classroom setting, there are always various sizes of educational groupings. Unless there is only one student, there are always opportunities for using cooperative learning. But just because students are paired or in a small group does not mean that cooperative learning is taking place.

For example, a common instructional practice is to "pair-share." This means that students collaborate on an answer to a question or problem, and then share their conclusion. This may incorporate cooperative-learning components, but will the students know what to do and be successful just by being in a pair? Is this cooperative learning?

In a 2003 research article in Exceptional Children, the expectations for cooperative learning are delineated. A succinct summary of teachers' experiences and observations of cooperative learning are also itemized. For cooperative learning to be used as designed, it must:

• maximize a student's own and others' learning
• make a clear effort to help each other learn
• share in the evaluation of the product from the group experience

If one of these components is missing, it would not be cooperative learning as intended. Teachers who plan to use cooperative learning should evaluate these three components as they group their students and collect their data.

For the success of the research-based instruction and for the success of the students, this needs to be done with integrity. Teachers need to plan wisely when grouping students together. Modifications may include:

• joining the cooperative group at times to help students navigate any problems that may arise
• choosing students who have demonstrated the ability to work together well in previous attempts
• meeting individually beforehand with students who may need academic or behavioral support to remind them of group expectations

Students should be encouraged to attempt to solve problems that arise, as this is one of the posits of cooperative learning, but teachers need to support choices of solutions if students cannot solve problems together.

As found by Jenkins, Antil, Wayne and Vadasy, the results of cooperative learning are many and prove that the method is worth using. Cooperative learning helps students:

• teach each other using their own words, which often are different than the teacher's
• participate more broadly in lessons
• engage in more active learning
• learn to cooperate and value cooperation
• learn to listen and respond
• overcome obstacles that may not be overcome if working alone
• gain access to curricula at a more challenging level
• understand an assignment or directions in a clearer manner
• receive modeling, feedback or corrections
• learn responsibility
• learn to encourage
• improve self-esteem
• have the ability to submit an improved product over what is done individually
• improve success
• participate in a less stressful learning environment
• build friendships
• have opportunity to use individual voice

Cooperative learning is an effective instructional method that proves itself in many ways. Students with special education needs can work cooperatively with other students when the correct supports are put into place.

When using cooperative learning, we are preparing our students for future learning in the classroom and in a society that requires thinking and creating ideas together.