Students' Perceptions of Instruction in Co-Teaching Classrooms: A Systematic Literature Review and Thematic Analysis

As more schools adopt inclusive practices, the need for schools to understand how students perceive these practices grows. The current study explores K-12 students' perceptions of co-teaching through a systematic review and thematic analysis of the literature. Through an analysis of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research from journals and dissertations, this review shows the importance of attending to contextual variables surrounding co-teaching and how these may serve as mediating factors for students' perceptions. Using an open-ended date range for studies and including gray literature allowed for robust findings that synthesize comprehensively how students view co-teaching. Key findings include students' perceived success academically and preference for co-teaching. Additionally, results indicated a pattern of students' negative perceptions of co-teaching when teachers experienced many professional demands. However, the lack of reported socially constructed contextual variables, such as race and gender, limited insights into how students make meaning of co-teaching. On the basis of these findings, we discuss implications for research, policy, and practice.