Academic achievement for students with and without disabilities in co-taught classrooms: A meta-analysis

This meta-analysis examined achievement of students with and without disabilities in co-taught compared to solo-taught general education classes. Using eight databases and six terms, a systematic search of peer-reviewed and gray literatures was conducted. From 99 studies about cotaught students' achievement, 28 studies met eligibility criteria, including disaggregated data for 21,717 students. Achievement was not significantly higher for students with or without disabilities in co-taught classes. The combined negative effect regarding co-teaching was weak, implying that the achievement of students in co-taught settings did not vary significantly from that of students in solo-taught ones. The sub-group and moderator analyses revealed differences regarding the type of assessment and the meta-analyzed studies' publication year. Study quality data regarding descriptions of co-teaching, fidelity, and group assignment highlight the need for more rigorously designed and implemented studies. Results are discussed in relation to the prevalence of co-teaching, considering additional factors beyond academic achievement.