Marilyn Friend

Marilyn Friend, Ph.D., has spent her career as a general education teacher, special education teacher, teacher educator, and staff developer. She is Professor Emerita of Education in the Department of Specialized Education Services at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and she is Past President of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving the educational success of children and youth with disabilities and/or gifts and talents.

Dr. Friend has consulted with school professionals nationally and internationally (more than 3000 presentations and projects in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia) as they collaborate to educate their students, assisting them to form productive and efficient work teams, to learn the best ways to manage awkward or adversarial conversations, and to communicate effectively with parents.

Her particular areas of interest include skills for collaboration, co-teaching, inclusive school practices, team building, shared problem solving, interpersonal communication, conflict and controversy, and home-school communication. She is the author or co-author of three widely used college textbooks on special education: a variety of co-teaching materials for teachers and administrators; more than 50 articles about collaboration, inclusive practies, and co-teaching; and a highly popular video series on co-teaching and other inclusive practices.