Review of Research on Team Effectiveness: Implications for Teams in Schools

Abstract

Multidisciplinary teams are necessary for educational decision making concerning handicapped children. Research on group decision making and team effectiveness in various organizational settings suggest that teams can be useful under certain conditions, and that team development and maintenance are important factors to consider when employing new team approaches. In this article, characteristics of new teams will be reviewed with attention being given to variables that must be addressed to ensure their effectiveness. A process model of team building also is described, and implications of research on group effectiveness for MDTs in schools are discussed.