Cooperative learning is a structured teaching strategy where students work in small, heterogeneous groups to achieve shared learning goals. This method emphasizes peer collaboration, communication, and shared responsibility, making it especially effective for inclusive education. For students with special educational needs (SEN), cooperative learning provides opportunities to participate meaningfully in group activities, develop social skills, and enhance academic learning in a supportive environment.

Key elements of cooperative learning include:
- Positive Interdependence: Group members rely on each other to achieve a common goal.
- Individual Accountability: Each student is responsible for their contribution to the group.
- Face-to-Face Interaction: Students engage in direct collaboration and dialogue.
- Interpersonal Skills Development: Cooperation, communication, and conflict resolution are integral to the method.
- Group Processing: Teams reflect on their performance to improve future interactions.

Science Activity - Ecosystem Exploration
Students are grouped into teams of four with a mix of abilities and assigned roles like "researcher," "recorder," "presenter," and "illustrator" to match their strengths. Teams investigate ecosystems (e.g., rainforest, desert) using books and visual aids. The researcher gathers information, the recorder notes key facts, the illustrator creates diagrams, and the presenter shares findings with the class. Adaptations include assigning the illustrator role to a student with autism to focus on visual tasks, allowing a student with dyslexia to contribute verbally, and using visual prompts and checklists to guide participation.

Problem-Solving in Groups
In a classroom, students work in small groups to solve problems collaboratively and earn points for teamwork.

Rapisa, D. R., & Thaibah, H. (2018). The effect of cooperative learning methods on social skills for students with special needs. IndoEducation Conference Proceedings, 207–211.

Lehane, P., & Senior, J. (2020). Collaborative teaching: Exploring the impact of co-teaching practices on numeracy attainment of pupils with and without SEN. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 35(3), 303–317.

Grenier, M., & Yeaton, P. (2019). Social thinking skills and cooperative learning for students with autism. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 90(1), 18–21.