Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) is specially designed instruction and academic instruction provided to a group of students with disabilities and non-disabled students in a general education class.   Students may be in an ICT classroom all day or for a portion of the day.

The determination of whether integrated co-teaching services are an appropriate recommendation for your child must be made on an individual basis.  For some students, integrated co-teaching would be an alternative to placement in a special class with the added benefit of having both a special education and a general education teacher deliver the curriculum to the student.  For each student, whether the general education classroom is the least restrictive environment for the student to receive his or her special education services should be made with the following considerations:

• the classes in which integrated co-teaching is offered and the match to the students needs
• the extent of special education services the individual student needs to access, participate and progress in the general education curriculum
• the similarity of needs of the other students with disabilities in the class
• the potential effect of the class size on the student's learning needs
• any potential benefits and harmful effects such services might have for the student or on the quality of services that he or she needs
• whether the extent of the environmental modifications or adaptations and the human or material resources needed for the student will consistently detract from the opportunities of other students in the group to benefit from instruction
• the maximum number of students in an ICT class should not exceed 12 students with disabilties

What is the difference between direct CT services and integrated co-teaching services?
While both direct CT and integrated co-teaching services are provided in a student's general education class, and to the casual observer may appear the same, they differ in the manner of how the specially designed instruction is provided to your child.

Integrated co-teaching services means students are grouped together based on similarity of need for the purpose of receiving specially designed instruction in a general education class.  In this model, a general education teacher and a special education teacher share responsibility for the delivery of primary instruction, planning and evaluation for all students. 

Direct CT services  The special education teacher's role with consult teacher services is to adapt the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to support the student to successfully participate and progress in the general curriculum during regular instruction.  The general education teacher's role is the delivery of primary instruction, planning and evaluation for all students. The focus of services provided by the CT is to an individual student or group of students with a disability.