Techniques for sending traffic data and control information in a wireless communication system are described. In one design, a transmitter (e.g., a Node B or a UE) may perform beamforming to send traffic data on M layers based on a precoding matrix, where M may be one or greater. The transmitter may also perform beamforming to send control information on up to M layers based on the same precoding matrix used for the traffic data. The transmitter may send the beamformed traffic data on a first physical channel and may send the beamformed control information on a second physical channel. The transmitter may multiplex the beamformed traffic data and the beamformed control information using time division multiplexing (TDM) or frequency division multiplexing (FDM).