A method for transmitting resource allocation information to a wireless node in a communications system includes selecting a search space from one of a first search space and a second search space, the first search space associated with a first set of control channel parameters and the second search space associated with a second set of control channel parameters. The method also includes modulating the first control information, and mapping the modulated first control information onto the selected search space in a first subframe, where at least one of modulating the first control information and mapping the modulated first control information is according to a selected set of control channel parameters associated with the selected search space. The method further includes transmitting the first subframe to the wireless node, and transmitting a first parameter indicator identifying the selected set of control channel parameters to the wireless node.