Special Education for Beginners | Managing Paraprofessionals, Special Education Strategies, First Year Sped Teachers, Special Ed Overwhelm, Paperwork for Special Education Teachers

Breaking Down Barriers to Inclusion

• Episode 207

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Inclusion sounds amazing in theory—but in practice? It can feel scary, complicated, and even a little overwhelming. In today’s episode, I’m addressing into the real-world barriers that can stand in the way of building inclusive classrooms… and sharing what we can do to push past them. From time constraints and unclear roles to limited resources and resistance from staff, we’re talking about the tough stuff—and how to respond with creativity, teamwork, and intention.

You’ll walk away from this episode with a knowledge of common barriers keeping us from implementing inclusion and practical tips you can implement right away, whether you're a new special education teacher or a veteran navigating a tough team dynamic.

What You'll Learn:

  • Common barriers to inclusion 
    • Administration
    • Teachers
    • Students
  • How to advocate for time to collaborate with general education teachers
  • Tips for clarifying roles and responsibilities on inclusion teams
  • The importance of building a culture of belonging for all students
  • A real-life example of simple, inclusive differentiation using colored paper

Links & Resources:

Writing individual impact statements based on a student’s unique disability  and needs can be a big struggle AND a big time suck.! And in case you haven't noticed...extra time is not something you have a lot of.

My IEP Impact Statements Growing Bundle will give you  the resources you need to make writing impact statements a breeze.  





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Speaker 1:

Hey there and welcome back to another episode of Special Education for Beginners. I'm your host, jennifer, and I'm so glad you are joining me today. If you've been following along, you know that this month's theme is the topic of inclusion what it means, why it matters and how we can make it a reality for our students, even when it feels challenging. And if you're keeping track, you'll know that I told you last week I would be having a conversation with Ashley Barlow from the Collaborative IEP, but unfortunately, due to some conflicts, ashley and I were not able to connect to make that interview happen. So I'm just going to share about barriers that get in the way when we are trying to implement inclusion and what we can actually do about them. So let's get to it. Hey, special educator, are you overwhelmed by the absurd amount of paperwork on your to-do list? Do you wish you had the skills to build a rock solid team with your staff? Do you find yourself scouring the internet for how to meet the needs of each student on your caseload? Well, hey there. I'm Jennifer Hopperberg, an award-winning veteran special education teacher and current instructional coach, who has walked in your shoes through each of these challenges. And yes, I have the metaphorical blisters to prove it. I have cried your tears and felt your pain, and now I'm here to support you in the way I wish someone would have been there to support me. Listen in each week as my guests and I dish out practical wisdom to help you handle all the classroom curveballs that are thrown at you and learn how to laugh in spite of the chaos, to celebrate those small yet significant victories that only a special educator can understand. So are you ready? Wipe your tears and put on your superhero cape, because together we are going to learn how to survive and thrive in the ever crazy, completely overwhelming laugh. So you don't cry. Profession of being a special education teacher.

Speaker 1:

So recently I had a listener of the podcast and a subscriber to my newsletter reach out to me. He shared that his district is planning to implement inclusion services for the very first time next school year and honestly, that caught me off guard a little bit. Inclusion has been a major part of the programs I've worked in for 30 years, and so it always surprises me when I hear that it hasn't been a standard practice in some places. But the more conversations I have with teachers across the country, the more I realize that there are real barriers that have either prevented districts from trying inclusion or made their earlier attempts unsuccessful. So let's be real. For a second.

Speaker 1:

Creating inclusion environments isn't as simple as just having good intentions. It takes planning, teamwork, flexibility and a whole lot of perseverance. Even when every adult in the building wants to be inclusive, there are still some very real barriers that can slow us down or even stop us if we're not careful. And when we talk about the challenges of implementing inclusion, it's easy to lump all those barriers together, but the truth is, the obstacles look a little different depending on your role. So we're going to break this conversation into three parts First, the barriers that administration might face. Second, the barriers that teachers often experience. And finally, the barriers that students themselves might feel when inclusion isn't implemented thoughtfully, because when we look at the big picture and address each group's unique needs, we have a much better chance of building inclusive programs that actually work.

Speaker 1:

So, starting with administration, principals, assistant principals, district leaders, directors, program coordinators they have a huge role in setting the tone for inclusion, but two of the barriers that I could think of for them would be fear of pushback and lack of resources or training. For fear of pushback, a lot of administrators worry about how their staff will react to inclusion initiatives. Change is hard, and when teachers are already stretched so thin, leaders might hesitate to push for inclusion because they are afraid that it will create tension or dissatisfaction among the staff. And then another big one is just simply not having enough resources, enough staff funding, enough training opportunities. Inclusion requires support structures, and if those aren't in place, even the best intentioned administrators might be hesitant to move forward. So, yes, these are huge and very real challenges.

Speaker 1:

So what can administrators do to overcome these barriers? Well, the first thing would be when change is coming, communication has to be key. Administrators can ease fear and resistance by starting conversations early, being transparent about the why behind the shift towards inclusion and giving staff plenty of opportunities to ask questions and share concerns. It's not about having all the answers right away. It's about building trust and showing teachers they're not alone in this. Staff won't automatically know how to implement inclusive practices, and that's okay. It's the administration's role to provide meaningful professional development that focuses on practical strategies, co-teaching models, accommodations and modifications, behavior supports and collaboration skills.

Speaker 1:

But this doesn't have to mean expensive PD. There are so many resources online that can support inclusion practices at little to no cost. Administrators can also tap into the talent that already exists within their own building, their own district, or even reach out to a neighboring district that has successfully implemented inclusion. It doesn't have to be perfect or polished. It just needs to start with the desire, the willingness to learn, to grow and to make inclusion a real living part of the school culture. And instead of trying to overhaul an entire school system overnight, leaders can pilot inclusion practices in a few classrooms first. Pick a few willing teachers, offer them some extra support and let them become the proof of concept that can inspire others.

Speaker 1:

If there's a shortage of teachers or paras, administrators can think outside the box. Could gen ed teachers be given additional supports, like access to interventionists or floating paraprofessionals? Could schedules be adjusted to maximize shared planning time? Could related service providers offer consultative support to teachers instead of direct service minutes? Flexibility is very important here, and then, ultimately, people just need to feel valued and heard. Administrators who prioritize building strong relationships with their staff and who truly listen to concerns rather than just pushing mandates will build a culture where inclusion can take root and grow. Okay, so now let's focus on the barriers for teachers. Once the vision for inclusion is set, it's the teachers who are out there doing the daily work of making it happen in the classrooms, and they face a whole different set of barriers that we need to acknowledge if we want inclusion to be successful.

Speaker 1:

The first barrier I can think of for teachers is fear, specifically fear of the unknown. When schools haven't practiced inclusion before, it can feel really intimidating for both gen ed and special education teachers. There's often a fear of what if I don't know how to support a student in a general education setting? What if I mess it up? What if I fail the student and then, on the gen ed side, won't this take away from my other students? I don't know how to implement that accommodation. These fears can cause hesitation even when everyone's heart is in the right place. Fear of change, fear of losing control and fear of not meeting expectations are very real emotions that have to be acknowledged when we start talking about implementing inclusion. Luckily, the thing about fear is it doesn't mean people are unwilling, it just means they're unsure. That's why professional development, open conversations and support systems are so important when a school is taking its first steps towards inclusion.

Speaker 1:

The next barrier is similar to the first one, but with a few important differences. There are a lot of teachers who are simply stuck in the status quo mentality If it ain't broke, why fix it? And this is where resistance comes into play. They've been teaching a certain way for years and from their perspective it's been working. So when new expectations for inclusion come along, it can feel like an unnecessary disruption. Or sometimes it's not about resistance. It can feel like an unnecessary disruption. Or sometimes it's not about resistance. It's about self-doubt. Some gen ed teachers may think that they don't have anything to offer a student who has an IEP, or they might feel like they don't have the time, resources or training to devote to meaningful inclusion practices. That sense of overwhelm can make them pull back rather than lean in.

Speaker 1:

This barrier can be one of the hardest to overcome. Sometimes we work with colleagues who simply have a different vision of what inclusion should look like or who may not fully buy into it yet. And it's tough when you're passionate about inclusion but you feel like you're fighting an uphill battle. So what can you do in these cases? First, you need to lead with curiosity and not confrontation. Instead of trying to convince someone with a hard sell, you can ask questions, share success stories and invite colleagues to see inclusion in action. Sometimes people just need to experience the benefits firsthand to truly understand the impact. And, most importantly, we have to remember you don't have to change everyone's mind overnight. Focus on building relationships, finding small wins and celebrating every bit of progress along the way. Small shifts lead to bigger changes over time.

Speaker 1:

The third barrier would be a lack of time for collaboration. One of the biggest hurdles to successful inclusion is simply finding the time to plan and collaborate with gen ed, teachers, specialists and paraprofessionals. Our schedules are packed, planning periods don't always line up and when you are juggling IEPs, behavior plans, parent meetings and lesson prep, collaboration can easily get pushed to the side. So what you can do is advocate for scheduled collaboration time if at all possible. Even 20 minutes a week can make a huge difference. If that's not an option, find creative ways to connect Quick hallway conversations, shared Google Docs or setting up a standing weekly email check-in. Another barrier would be unclear roles and responsibilities, and we hit on this one a lot last week, but I do want to touch on it again. When team members aren't clear on who's doing what, it can definitely become a barrier.

Speaker 1:

In an inclusive classroom, it's not just about who's in charge. It's about working together to meet students' needs. But if we're not proactive about clarifying those roles, we might not be successful in our inclusion efforts. So we need to set those expectations early. If you're co-teaching, decide who is leading which part of the lesson. If you have paraprofessionals supporting students, make sure they know their specific duties and revisit these conversations often, because roles can shift as students' needs change.

Speaker 1:

And then the last barrier for teachers would be limited resources. Just like with admin, sometimes we don't have everything we need. Maybe it's staffing or short paraprofessionals, maybe it's materials, maybe it's access to training. Limited resources can make true inclusion feel overwhelming. So what you can do is focus on what you can control. Tap into your creativity, use peer supports, modify assignments strategically and lean on your school team. And don't be afraid to speak up about what you need, whether it's requesting PD or advocating for assistive technology. Do whatever you can to better meet the inclusive needs of your students.

Speaker 1:

Now that we've talked about the barriers for administration and teachers, we can't forget the most important group impacted by inclusion the students themselves. Even when adults are doing everything right planning carefully, collaborating well and setting up structures the students can still face barriers that make inclusion challenging for them. If we don't recognize and address these, we risk leaving students feeling frustrated, disconnected and defeated. So I have a few of the biggest barriers that students might experience. The first is academic gaps, of course, students receiving special education services often have significant gaps in areas like reading, writing or math. When they are included in general education classrooms, those gaps can feel even more overwhelming. Imagine sitting in a math lesson where the content is two or three grade levels above where you are currently working. Even with accommodations, students can quickly feel lost or defeated if the instruction isn't properly scaffolded. So what can we do? We can use targeted supports like small group instruction, peer tutoring, visual supports and differentiated assignments. Make sure the students have access to the curriculum and the supports they need to engage with it meaningfully.

Speaker 1:

When I was teaching, I had the opportunity to work with a general education teacher who just got it when it came to differentiation. One of the things he did was so simple but so smart. He printed his worksheets on different colors of paper. Some were pink, some were green, some were blue, and each color had slightly different versions of the assignment. Maybe one version had fewer problems. Maybe one had sentence starters built in. Maybe one had a word bank, maybe another had some key words already filled in, or maybe one had really complicated problems. The students never knew that the different colors meant anything special To them. It was just oh cool, I got a green one today, or hey, mine's blue. There was no stigma, no embarrassment, no one feeling like someone had easier work or harder work. It was just normal and, honestly, that small act made such a huge difference, not just for my students who needed a modified assignment, but for the entire classroom culture. Everyone felt successful, everyone felt like they belonged, and isn't that really what inclusion is about?

Speaker 1:

Sometimes we think supporting students has to be this huge, complicated process, but more often it is the little things, the small, intentional moves that quietly remove barriers and create space for every student to shine. The second barrier that students might face are behavioral or emotional needs. Behavior challenges can sometimes increase when students are placed in an unfamiliar, fast-paced environment. Without enough support, students might struggle with following multi-step directions, regulating their emotions or navigating social expectations in larger groups, and for some students, the anxiety of being in a new, less predictable setting can trigger behaviors that weren't as visible in a smaller, smaller, self-contained setting, and it's at these times when the IEP team really has to take a step back and consider the least restrictive environment. Do the benefits of being exposed to the general education curriculum and general education peers outweigh the anxiety and the challenges the student is facing? Is this something we can work through with the right supports, or do we need to rethink our approach? These are tough, thoughtful conversations and there's no one size fits all answer. But what you can do when you have a student in an inclusive setting who is having behavioral or social needs, you can provide clear expectations, consistent routines and positive behavior supports to help that student feel secure. You can teach social skills explicitly, not just to the student with the IEP but to the whole class, to create a more understanding and compassionate community. And you can normalize differences and foster a culture of belonging where every student feels safe, valued and capable of success. When we set the right supports and mindsets from the start, we give the students the best chance not to just be included but to thrive in an inclusive setting.

Speaker 1:

Barrier three would be a lack of confidence or learned helplessness. Some students have internalized the idea that they can't do certain things. They may have experienced repeated failure in academic settings before and now they shut down quickly when faced with challenges. In an inclusive setting, where they are surrounded by peers who seem to get it faster, this feeling can intensify. So what you can do is celebrate growth, not just mastery. Focus on effort, persistence and small wins. Build students' confidence and build their independence by setting achievable goals, providing lots of encouragement and teaching them self-advocacy skills. Help them see that needing support doesn't mean they're failing. It means they're learning.

Speaker 1:

Barrier four would be a lack of proper accommodations and modifications. If a student is placed in an inclusive setting but the necessary accommodations and modifications aren't consistently provided, the student will struggle, plain and simple. It's not enough to just put a student in a classroom and call it inclusion. The instruction, the materials and the expectations often need to be adjusted to match their unique needs. You need to make sure that those accommodations that are listed on the IEP are consistently implemented. This could mean providing alternative assignments, using some assistive technology and intentionally teaching the child how to use it, offering extra time, simplifying directions or adjusting grading criteria when appropriate. This goes back to that collaboration between special education and general education. So those are the barriers that I came up with and I'll be honest with you.

Speaker 1:

Early in my career I used to get really frustrated when I ran into these barriers. I thought why doesn't everyone see how important this is? But what I've learned over time and what I remind the teachers I coach is is that the majority of these things I discussed aren't really barriers at all. They're more like speed bumps. They might slow us down, they might make us pause and rethink our approach, but they don't have to stop us. When you approach a speed bump in real life, what do you do? You slow down, maybe angle your direction over a little bit, you get all four tires over it and then you hit the gas. When we anticipate these challenges, when we work together and when we stay focused on the ultimate goal helping every student feel included and supported those speed bumps just become part of the journey. They're not signs that we're doing it wrong. They're signs that we're doing something meaningful, something that's worth the extra effort. So if you are feeling overwhelmed by the idea of inclusion, or if you are already in the thick of it and facing some of these obstacles, just take a deep breath. You are doing important work. Keep advocating, keep collaborating and keep believing in what's possible for your students. Inclusion isn't easy, but it is absolutely worth it.

Speaker 1:

If you found today's conversation helpful, I'd love to have you leave a review or share this episode with a colleague who might need a little encouragement too, and keep those emails coming. I absolutely love hearing from you. Being on this end of the microphone can get lonely, so I love hearing that these episodes are making an impact. Thanks for hanging out with me today. Make sure you are signed up to receive the weekly newsletter. There's a whole bunch of TPT sales coming up. There's some extra teacher appreciation resources that are coming your way, so I just want to make sure you're on the list so you don't miss any of that. Just go to wwwspedprepacademycom slash podcast to get extra support, free resources and to be notified about new episodes and special updates. Remember, you're doing amazing work and you're never alone on this journey. See you next week, thank you, thank you.

Speaker 1:

Another barrier for students would be behavior challenges or social and emotional needs. Behavior challenges can sometimes increase when students are placed in unfamiliar, fast-paced environments. Without enough support, students might struggle with following multi-step directions, regulating their emotions or navigating social expectations in larger groups and, for some students, the anxiety of being in a new, less predictable setting can trigger behaviors that weren't as visible in smaller, self-contained settings. It's at these times when the IEP team needs to really take a step back and consider the least restrictive environment. Do the benefits of being exposed to the general education curriculum and the general education peers outweigh the anxiety and the challenges the student is facing? Is this something we can work through with the right supports, or do we need to rethink our approach? These are all tough, thoughtful conversations and there's no one-size-fits-all answer. But what you can do if you move forward with inclusion, is to provide clear expectations, consistent routines and positive behavior supports to help students feel secure, teach social skills explicitly, not just to the student with an IEP but to the whole class, to create a more understanding and compassionate community and then normalize differences and foster a culture of belonging where every student feels safe, valued. And foster a culture of belonging where every student feels safe, valued and capable of success. When we have the right supports and the right mindsets from the start, we can give students the best chance not to just be included but to thrive in an inclusive setting.

Speaker 1:

Another barrier would be lack of confidence and learned helplessness. Some students have internalized the idea that they can't do certain things. They may have experienced repeated failure in academic settings before, and now they shut down quickly. When they are faced with challenges In an inclusive setting where they are surrounded by peers who seem to get it faster, this feeling can intensify. So we, as special education teachers, need to celebrate growth, not just mastery. We should focus on effort, persistence and small wins. Build that student's confidence by setting achievable goals, providing lots of encouragement and teaching them self-advocacy skills. Let help them see that needing support doesn't mean that they're failing. It means that they're learning.

Speaker 1:

And then the last barrier for students would be a lack of proper accommodations and modifications. You know we write these into IEPs and we expect that general education teachers are going to be fulfilling this responsibility, but that's not always the case. If a student is placed in an inclusive classroom but the necessary accommodations and modifications aren't consistently provided, that student is going to struggle. Plain and simple, it's not enough to move a student's desk into a new room. The instruction, the materials, student's desk into a new room. The instruction, the materials and the expectations need to be adjusted to match their unique needs. So make sure that the accommodations that are listed in the IEP are consistently implemented. This could mean providing alternative assignments using assistive technology, offering extra time, simplifying directions or adjusting grading criteria when appropriate, and it all goes back to that communication piece. Make sure that you're communicating effectively what those accommodations and modifications are and then follow up to make sure that they're being followed through with. Collaboration between special education and general education teachers is key here.

Speaker 1:

I'll be honest with you. Early in my career I used to get really frustrated when I ran into some of these barriers. I thought why doesn't everyone else see how important this is? But what I've learned over time, and what I remind the teachers I coach, is that the majority of the things I discussed above aren't really barriers at all. They're more like speed bumps. They might slow us down, they might make us pause and rethink our approach, but they don't have to stop us.

Speaker 1:

When you approach a speed bump in real life, what do you do? You slow down? Well, my husband would say that I go, I go faster, but you slow down. When you approach a speed bump in real life, what do you do? You slow down? You maybe angle your car in a different direction to get. When you approach a speed bump in real life, what do you do you slow down, maybe angle your direction over a little bit, you get all four tires over that bump and then you hit the gas.

Speaker 1:

When we anticipate challenges, when we work together and when we stay focused on the ultimate goal, which is helping every student feel included and supported, those speed bumps just become a part of the journey. They're not signs that we're doing it wrong. They're signs that we're doing something meaningful, and that's something. They're signs that we're doing something meaningful, something that's worth the extra effort. So if you're feeling overwhelmed by the idea of inclusion, or if you are already in the thick of it and you are facing some of these obstacles, take a deep breath. You are doing important work. So keep advocating, keep collaborating and keep believing in what's possible for your students. Inclusion isn't easy, but it is absolutely worth it.

Speaker 1:

If you found today's conversation helpful, I would love for you to leave a review or share this episode with a colleague who might need a little encouragement too, and keep those emails coming. I absolutely love hearing from you. Being on this end of the microphone can get lonely, so I love hearing from you. Being on this end of the microphone can get lonely, so I love hearing that these episodes are making an impact. Thanks for hanging out with me today. Make sure you're signed up to receive the weekly newsletter. Just head over to sped. Just head over to wwwspedprepacademycom slash podcast to get extra support, free resources and be notified about new episodes and special updates. Until next time, remember you're doing amazing work and you're never alone on this journey.