Addressing Your Inclusion Concerns (And Why It Matters for Everyone)
In my previous posts, we've explored what real inclusion looks like and shared practical strategies for making it work. Now let's tackle the hard questions I hear most often about inclusion—and discuss why this work benefits every student, not just those with disabilities.
Addressing the Hard Questions
Q: "But I'm not trained to teach students with severe disabilities."
A: You don't need to become an expert overnight. You do need to be willing to collaborate, ask questions, and stay open to learning. Partner with your special education colleagues—they have specialized knowledge and want to support you. Focus on good teaching practices that benefit all students, and trust that the team around the student will provide you with specific strategies. Remember, you're not alone in this work.
Q: "Won't inclusion hold back my high-achieving students?"
A: This concern is understandable, but research doesn't support it. Study after study shows that students without disabilities maintain their achievement in inclusive classrooms. In fact, many benefit from exposure to different ways of thinking and learning. When you differentiate instruction effectively, you're actually better equipped to challenge your high achievers while supporting students who need more scaffolding. Additionally, the empathy and understanding that students develop in inclusive environments are skills they'll carry throughout their lives.
Q: "The accommodations in this IEP seem impossible to implement."
A: Some accommodations feel overwhelming at first, but become routine with practice. Extended time on tests requires minimal effort once you've established a system. Preferential seating is a quick fix. Access to notes or visual supports helps many students. For more complex accommodations, please contact the special education team. They can help you problem-solve implementation, and often, there are simpler solutions than you realize. You might also discover that an accommodation you thought was complicated actually becomes a better practice you use with all students.
Q: "This student isn't making progress. Maybe they'd be better in a self-contained classroom."
A: When a student isn't progressing, resist the impulse to remove them from inclusion. Instead, ask why the current approach isn't working. Does the student need different supports? More explicit instruction in foundational skills? Adjustments to their goals? Better communication between home and school? Progress monitoring should occur regularly so that you can adjust instruction before a student falls significantly behind. Often, the solution isn't a more restrictive placement but rather a refinement of supports or instruction within the inclusive setting.
Why This Matters for Everyone
Here's what makes me passionate about inclusion: it's not charity for students with disabilities. It's suitable for everyone.
Students without disabilities who learn in inclusive classrooms develop deeper empathy and understanding of human differences. They see firsthand that there are many ways to be smart, many ways to learn, and many paths to success. They practice helping and supporting others, which builds leadership skills and emotional intelligence. They enter adulthood better prepared for the diverse world they'll navigate—workplaces, communities, and relationships that include people with disabilities.
Teachers benefit too. The differentiation skills, creativity, and problem-solving required in inclusive classrooms make you a stronger educator overall. Many teachers tell me that the strategies they learned to support students with disabilities transformed their teaching for all students.
And obviously, students with disabilities benefit enormously. They have higher expectations placed on them, greater access to grade-level curriculum, more opportunities to develop friendships with diverse peers, and better outcomes after graduation in terms of employment, independent living, and community participation.
Your Next Steps
Creating inclusive classrooms is ongoing work. It requires a commitment to continuous learning and improvement. It demands collaboration among educators, families, and students. It needs adequate planning time and resources. And it starts with a fundamental belief that all students can learn and deserve to do so alongside their peers.
If you're an educator taking steps toward more inclusive practices, take a moment to celebrate your progress. Every lesson you design with UDL in mind, every student collaboration you facilitate, every moment of belonging you create—it all matters.
If you're a parent advocating for your child's inclusion, know that you're not just fighting for your child; you're also fighting for the rights of all children. You're helping create learning communities where all students thrive and understand that differences make us stronger, not weaker.
Inclusion isn't easy, but it's absolutely worth it. Every student deserves to walk into school and feel like they belong—not despite their differences, but as a valued member of the community, exactly as they are.
Working toward more inclusive practices in your classroom or school? I'd love to hear about your journey and the creative solutions you're discovering. Let's connect and learn from each other.
Nicolette Lesniak is an experienced special education teacher leader and IEP Coach. She has presented at regional and national educational conferences for families and educators on the importance of collaboration and partnerships in improving student outcomes. You can contact her at hello@nicolettelesniak.com.
