Special Education Teachers’ Attitudes and Perceptions of Teamwork

Abstract

One hundred and eighty-four special education teachers serving school-based intervention teams completed the Attitudes About Teamwork Survey, the Team Characteristics Survey , and the Team Process Perception Survey. Respondents’ regard for the team process in planning and implementing supports for children with disabilities was generally favorable. Similarly, respondents’ perceptions of the performance characteristics of the teams on which they served were generally positive. Associations among items on the Attitudes About Teamwork Survey and the Team Characteristics Survey are reported. Finally, respondents provided input regarding teamwork benefits and limitations, how teamwork supports their efforts, and recommendations for improving the effectiveness of teamwork. Practical implications of the results and directions for further investigation in this area are discussed.