Inclusive Education: Advantages and Overcoming Barriers

Abstract

Schools and other learning environments have increasingly promoted equal educational opportunities among all students in recent years to create more inclusive learning environments. Inclusive education has impactful benefits on all students, not just those with diverse needs, as it is "the gateway to full participation in society" (United Nations, n.d, pg. 3). However, barriers to inclusion such as staff training and funding are necessary to consider in order to create and maintain meaningful, inclusive learning environments. In order to overcome these barriers to inclusive education, educators have been encouraged to integrate aspects of both Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI) to maintain the least restrictive environment while tailoring to individual student needs. The integration of UDL principles into classroom/learning environments promotes inclusion through supports for all students, including those with diverse needs. Educators can utilize strategies like the Three-Block Model of Universal Design for Learning (TBM) and ADAPT to aid them in the integration of UDL.

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Vol. 6(1) | DOI: https://doi.org/10.31542/muse.v6i1.2281
MacEwan University Student eJournal | © 2022 under CC BY-NC | ISSN 2369-5617
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Inclusive Education: Advantages and Overcoming Barriers
Emily Volker, Shaelyn Gupta, & Brindy Brown
Abstract
Schools and other learning environments have increasingly promoted equal educational
opportunities among all students in recent years to create more inclusive learning environments.
Inclusive education has impactful benefits on all students, not just those with diverse needs, as
it is "the gateway to full participation in society" (United Nations, n.d, pg. 3). However, barriers to
inclusion such as staff training and funding are necessary to consider in order to create and
maintain meaningful, inclusive learning environments. To overcome these barriers to inclusive
education, educators have been encouraged to integrate aspects of both Universal Design for
Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI) to maintain the least restrictive environment
while tailoring to individual student needs. The integration of UDL principles into
classroom/learning environments promotes inclusion through supports for all students, including
those with diverse needs. Educators can utilize strategies like the Three-Block Model of
Universal Design for Learning (TBM) and ADAPT to aid them in the integration of UDL.
Introduction
Inclusive education is an approach that encourages diversity and promotes equal educational
opportunities among all students, despite any differences one may possess (Government of
Alberta, 2021). Inclusive education has become a norm in our Canadian society, with its origins
tied partially to the 1982 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Hutchinson & Specht,
2020) and its goals of equality. The Inclusive Education approach is one that has education
programs that should adapt to the individual needs of all students with support and compassion
in the least restrictive environment. Effective inclusion practices in an educational environment
are essential in making meaningful learning accessible to all students. There are many
advantages and disadvantages involved in inclusive education, which mainly depend on the
school environment. Educators and stakeholders need to understand strategies available that
will ensure success among all students.
Benefits of Inclusion
The advantages of inclusive education are abundant: fostering social relationships, community
building, providing access, unconditional acceptance, creating goals based on individual ability
and needs, motivation through peer connections, parent involvement, and promoting an
atmosphere of respect and belonging (Hutchinson & Specht, 2020).
The United Nations Toolkit of Disability (n.d.) explains that the educational inclusion of students
with diverse needs is "the gateway to full participation in society" and "promotes inclusive and
tolerant societies" (Module 14, p. 3). Alberta Education (2021) echoes this sentiment by

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"...promote[ing] equal opportunities for all learners in Alberta...[and] accepting responsibility for
all children and students" (para.1). Furthermore, research reveals that inclusion creates an
advantage for all students, increasing the opportunity for friendships to arise and preparing
students for inclusion outside of the classroom (Mieghem et al., 2018).
Barriers to Inclusion
When discussing the topic of inclusive education, it is crucial to understand and awareness of its
many impactful benefits, not just on learning but also on schools, students, and society. So why
is it not the universal standard form of education? To fully develop an inclusive education
environment, the whole education system is transformed (UNICEF, 2017). This is a complex
and time-consuming process and as such, possesses many barriers that need consideration.
Ahmad (2012) acknowledges physical, attitudinal and communication barriers that negatively
affect inclusive education. "One of the most significant barriers is the attitudes of parents,
teachers and students" (p. 3). Lack of access to infrastructure, training, support staff, and
funding were some of Brown's (2018) significant concerns (para. 2). Despite government
policies and norms emphasizing inclusive education in Canada, practices and funding have not
kept pace with these changes. Improving the education of educators and documenting student
outcomes and experiences can be a valuable response to improve this barrier (Cologon, 2013).
Thoughts and Needs for Inclusive Education
The idea of tailoring learning may include modifications or accommodations, least restrictive
environment (LRE), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), or Differentiated Instruction (DI)
(Hutchinson & Specht, 2020). Influenced by universal design in architecture, the goal of UDL is
to support equal opportunity and promote structure and success among all learners within the
classroom (CAST, 2018). UDL encourages teachers to provide means and pedagogical
materials that can meet the needs of all students (Hutchinson & Specht, 2020, p. 6).
Jennifer Katz's (2013) Three-Block Model of Universal Design for Learning (TBM) details a
block system comprised of 3 main ideas to support inclusion successfully.
• First Block: Social and Emotional Learning (Respect Diversity Program). Building
learning environments that utilize respect, compassion, and democratic classroom
management (as cited in Katz, 2013, p. 158). Katz claims “results show profound impact
in terms of social inclusion and engagement for both students and teachers” (as cited in
Katz, 2013, p. 158).
• Second Block: Inclusive Instructional Practice. Firstly, ensuring access to learning
opportunities that address the individual needs of students and then planning academic
instruction involving evidence-based practices (as cited in Katz, 2013, p. 158). For
example, building rubrics “…that reflect multiple developmental levels of understanding,
and can be used to assess multi-modal expression and understandings” (Katz, 2013, p.
159).

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• Third Block: Systems and Structures. School leadership holds a critical influence on how
students are supported by how they support their staff. Creating policies within the
school, professional development to educate staff, and moving away from segregated
practices are a few ways that school leadership can begin prioritizing inclusion (Katz,
2013, p. 192)
In Katz’s 2013 study, classrooms implementing the model showed “promising” results (p. 182);
students were significantly more engaged academically and socially. The Three-Block Model of
UDL shows a potential framework educators can use to increase universal support in their
classrooms while reducing potential stress and worries about UDL implementation.
Differentiated instruction (DI) aids teachers in making decisions that address a student's specific
characteristics, skills, experiences, and difficulties (Hutchinson & Specht, 2020, p. 6). DI
maximizes learning by considering individual learning styles to support an inclusive classroom
and recognizes that some students may require modifications or accommodations to
demonstrate learning in meaningful ways. Incorporating UDL and DI in the classroom allows
educators to determine ways of removing barriers and engaging students to create access for
all.
Hutchinson and Specht (2020) developed an inclusion strategy called "ADAPT" (p. 24). The
five-step tool was designed for educators to assist in maintaining an inclusive classroom
environment.
• Step 1) Account of Students’ Strengths and Needs: educators should understand each
student’s social, emotional, behavioural, physical, and academic strengths and needs
through files such as an IPP and observations (p. 24-25)
• Step 2) Demands of the Classroom on Students: considering the social, emotional,
behavioural, physical, and academic demands is important when adapting the classroom
to include all students. For example, think about if respectful interactions are being
modelled, if the classroom layout is accessible, especially for those in wheelchairs or are
blind, or if each student has the tools needed to access the academic materials like
reading a textbook or writing an essay (p. 25).
• Step 3) Adaptions: comparing the needs of a student to the demands of the classroom
will help educators identify where adaptations are needed to best support that student’s
learning. Hutchinson and Specht (2020) outline strategies to ADAPT such as bypassing
(e.g., spell check to bypass spelling challenges) and teaching basic skills (e.g., “study
skills may be an urgent need for students with LD, there are likely to be others in the
class who will benefit”) (p. 26).
• Step 4) Perspectives and Consequences: reflect on adaptions and consider the
perspectives of the students and educators. Educators may want to choose simple
adaptions that benefit many or all students in the classroom in order to maintain and
manage the potential additional demands that adaptions may place on the educator (pg.

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26). Reflecting on the user’s experience is critical to ensure an adaptions success; do
the students feel comfortable and confident using it? Do they feel like they are drawing
unwanted attention? “Ask the student, and ADAPT in a way that is respectful of him”
(Hutchinson & Specht, 2020, p. 27).
• Step 5) Teach and Assess the Match: assess “how well the adaption has matched
student strengths and needs to the classroom demands” (Hutchinson & Specht, 2020, p.
27). Observations, conversations, and charting marks while the adaption is in use can
help determine whether it needs to be altered or not for future use (p. 27).
Strategies like ADAPT have been developed but ADAPT is unique in how it includes
perspectives of students affected by this strategy (p. 24). Using strategies like ADAPT aids
educators on how to meaningfully include students with diverse learning needs by creating
adaptations that consider the needs and strengths of the student and the demands of the
classroom environment (Hutchinson & Specht, 2020, p. 24).
Community, acceptance, and participation are needed for successful inclusive educational
systems. A community allows students to feel encouraged by adults who genuinely care about
them and their educational success (Hutchinson & Specht, 2020, p. 18). Alberta's education
system states that "inclusion is a way of thinking and acting that demonstrates universal
acceptance and promotes a sense of belonging for all learners (Government of Alberta, 2021). It
is crucial to foster good teaching by embracing community within the classroom to create an
opportunity for all students to develop and maintain a sense of belonging. For an inclusive
education environment to work, educators must be prepared to play a critical role in "prepar[ing]
the next generation to honor our national commitment to inclusion of persons with disabilities in
all aspects of Canadian society" (Hutchison & Specht, p. 5).
Ensuring students' needs are being met can be done by utilizing resources like Indicators of
Inclusive Schools (2013). The indicators are organized around 5 dimensions (p. 6).
1. Establishing Inclusive Values and Principles (e.g., “Diversity is valued as an enriching
aspect of the school environment” (Alberta Ed., 2013, p. 8)).
2. Building Inclusive Learning Environments (e.g., “The school building is physically
accessible to all students” (Alberta Ed., 2013, p. 9)).
3. Providing Supports for Success (e.g., “Ongoing assessment identifies when students are
in need of additional supports, interventions and services” (Alberta Ed., 2013, p. 10)).
4. Organizing Learning and Instruction (e.g., “Teachers provide multiple ways for students
to access new information and concepts” (Alberta Ed., 2013, p. 11)).
5. Engaging with Parents and the Community (e.g., “Staff and parents collaborate to
support student success” (Alberta Ed., 2013, p. 12)).

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“Each dimension is supported by sample indicators that provide descriptions, based on current
research…, of what each particular dimension might look like” (Alberta Ed., 2013, p. 6). Utilizing
resources like Indicators of Inclusive Schools (2013) can support educators implement, reflect,
assess, and improve learning environments to be more inclusive through a series of tools and
surveys (Alberta Ed., 2013, p. 5).
Conclusion
Education programs should adapt to the individual needs of all students with support and
compassion in the least restrictive environment. Inclusion is not a privilege. It is a right; every
student should be provided with an opportunity to learn and reach their full potential in an
environment that promotes community and belonging. The knowledge, beliefs, and values about
inclusion create what an educator chooses to represent in a classroom environment and,
furthermore in society. Every student is capable of learning and participating when given the
appropriate resources and support.

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