Inclusive education requires teachers to design instruction that benefits all students, regardless of their abilities, gender, or cultural background. Cooperative learning, a strategy that inherently fosters inclusivity, is one of the approaches that can enhance the implementation of inclusive education. Therefore, teachers need to be well-versed in this pedagogical approach. The extant literature on cooperative learning in inclusive education settings is limited. This study, therefore, examined cooperative learning as an instructional approach to improve the implementation of inclusive education. This qualitative study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with four purposively selected teachers from four schools in South Africa. Lesson observations were conducted during teaching and learning, and documents were reviewed. Data were analysed through content analysis. The findings revealed that cooperative learning, in its essence, allowed students to actively help each other, share their domestic knowledge, and build connections. The implications of these findings for inclusive education are discussed.