8-Barriers+to+Inclusion



Source: http://www.udlcenter.org/resource_library/articles/udl

**Barriers to Inclusion and How to Overcome Them **

[|Barriers to Inclusion] Linda A Heyne (2003) in her paper about solving organizational barriers to inclusion identifies four areas of concern and addresses how to solve the solve these concerns. The four areas are:
 * **Attitude**: it is a frame of mind. People may not understand the need to provide access. She says that one person can make a difference.
 * **Administrative concerns**: Administrators may lack understanding about how to provide access, the cost involved, and why it is necessary. She suggests that the organization make a concerted effort to hire people with disabilities.
 * **Architectural barriers**: Architectural impediments to universal access should not impede moving forward. If they exist, the principals of universal design for all need to be implemented.
 * **Programmatic issues**: Staff may have a lack of understanding, training and resources. These issues can be resolved with professional development.

[|Five Barriers to Inclusion] Stephanie Torreno (2012) writes about the five barriers to inclusive education and cites several of the same examples:
 * **Expense**: Inadequate funding can hamper professional development.
 * **Misinformation**: Negative attitudes are fueled by wrong information
 * **Accessibility**: The physical environment is a deterrent to providing access for all
 * **Cooperation**: Educators tend to work in silos. There is a need for collaboration and cooperation among all educators

[|UDL at a Glance--Representation, Expression, and Engagement] This YouTube produced CAST shows how when educators use universal design for learning, they will be able to overcome barriers that otherwise might prevent all children from participating in the curriculum. When designing access to the curriculum, educators need to ask themselves, "What barriers might prevent children from accessing the curriculum?" They then need to apply the three principals of UDL: Also, the YouTube implemented UDL practices in that it used closed captions, had a narrator, and used images and visuals.
 * 1) **Multiple means of representation** (visual, text, tactile, technology)
 * 2) **Multiple means of expression** (options and choices)
 * 3) **Multiple means of engagement** (options and choices)

[|Pushing Back Against Push-In: ESOL Teacher Resistance] According to McClure and Cahnmann-Taylor (2010) the research on co-teaching and inclusion is based on the field of special education. The ESOL field has peculiarities to it that change the dynamics that deal with power, language, culture, and ethnicity; issues that probably do not occur in the field of special education. Furthermore, when ESOL teachers are seen as bringing only strategies to the table, they are not as valued as the general education teacher. They are sometimes treated as a substitute or as a glorified classroom assistant. In order to overcome these obstacles the ESOL teachers and the general education teachers need to have the following: 1)common planning time,2) reflective time, 3)common professional development, and 4)engage in action research. Also, more negative barriers arise when ESOL children at the beginning to intermediate levels of[| language acquisition] (ELP levels 1-3) are expected to participate in the general education classroom. Co-teaching with an ESOL teacher is more effective when the ESOL children are at the intermediate to advanced levels of [|language acquisition] (ELP levels 3-5).