Much has been written about collaboration and co-teaching in secondary settings, including the importance of understanding one's partner's teaching approach; determining readiness to co-teach; clarifying roles, responsibilities, and expectations; scheduling shared planning time; and effective communication, including constructive dialogue and conflict resolution. As students with disabilities increasingly spend instructional time in general education classrooms, more and more special educators are working there as well. Through interviews and classroom observations, the authors found that effective special education co-teachers share certain characteristics: professionalism, the ability to articulate and model instruction to meet student needs, the ability to accurately assess student progress, the ability to analyze teaching/teaching styles, the ability to work with a wide range of students, and a vested interest in course content. (Contains 1 figure, 12 resources and 3 online resources.)