The effects of cooperative learning on academic achievement are positive and measurable. Continued discussion and summarization of information by the student allows the child to gain a more solid understanding which leads to greater retention of the material. Additionally, when a student encounters part of the assignment that he has difficulty with, his peers will take on the role of teacher and help him overcome this obstacle. In this way, the student who may have once failed will now achieve with the help of his or her group members. However, a question to ask is whether cooperative learning offers additional benefits beyond academic achievement. In a typical school context, it has been noted that “interactions between students of different ethnic groups are typically competitive and superficial” (Slavin, 1995, p. 51). By implementing cooperative learning groups in the classroom, teachers are creating the opportunity for students from various ethnic groups to work together who ultimately strive to achieve the same shared goal. Creating groups like these indirectly teaches students about supporting interracial interactions. However, for this to be effective, the teacher must ensure that each student has an equal role within the group. Cooperative learning offers the opportunity to create means for interaction with students with disabilities. Students with disabilities are often the target of negative feedback and feelings because they do not appear to perform well academically. When working in a cooperative learning group, disabled students can make a significant contribution within the group, which in turn can positively lead to acceptance by mainstream students. Robert Slavin (1995) found that o...... half of document creation, trust building, communication, and conflict management (Palmer, 2003). They will have the opportunity to raise their own and their classmates' self-esteem to a higher level. Finally, within an educational environment, students will receive encouragement in a cooperative environment from me, the instructor, and their peers which will help them develop greater efficacy (Palmer, 2003). Bibliography Foyle, H., Lyman, L., & Alexander -Thies, S. (1991). Cooperative learning in early childhood classrooms. National Education Association. Palmer, G., Peters, R., & Streetman, R. (2003). Cooperative learning. Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved <10/30/2011>, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/.Slavin, R. E. (1995). Cooperative learning, theory, research and practice. Allyn and Bacon.