The regulations of most countries describe the barriers to inclusive education. These barriers may be institutional, pedagogical, structural, or attitudinal, among others. However, I am convinced that the most important barrier by far is the attitudinal one.

Qualitative studies (which cannot be generalized due to the small number of participants) have shown that people with disabilities nowadays have access to many tools to adapt themselves to the educational system. Although it requires a lot of effort from them, they are willing and happy to do so — as long as they feel that their teachers and peers believe in them.

The most frequently repeated phrase was: "I only ask for the opportunity to try, and I will do it. If I need help, I will ask for it." Self-determination is the ability that allows everyone to be the owner of their own destiny. However, developing this skill depends on one condition: that the community allows people to make decisions and carry them out.

The low self-esteem experienced by many people with disabilities originates from the low expectations that society has about their ability to achieve something meaningful in the world. Yet, in the real world, perhaps the most important contribution that people with disabilities make to us is simply to exist, to resist, and to keep fighting to be heard and respected.

I believe that our main responsibility as an inclusive society (if we truly consider ourselves one) is to bring to the forefront all the value that people with disabilities contribute to the world: their strength, their determination to keep going, and their ability to discover new ways every day to do the same things the rest of us do.

I believe some barriers are pedagogical, institutional and attitudinal. Teachers need to professional development in how to implement an inclusive plan in the classroom. Institutional means the whole system needs an inclusive segment for the students. Attitudinal means that the whole educational staff must understand the students needs and be part of the students educational growth.

Thank you both for sharing your insights. There are indeed various barriers to inclusive education, from psychological challenges to the classroom environment. People with disabilities need not only pedagogical attention and understanding, but also self-belief and inner confidence to achieve their educational goals.

Let me disagree on the point of societal expectations toward students with disabilities. These learners are often not treated individually, and their academic hardships are not taken into account. Instead, they are expected to meet the highest intellectual standards without first being provided with the necessary resources and support.

Attitudinal barriers are another critical aspect of inclusive education. It’s all about how society perceives, interprets, and responds to the specific circumstances of students with disabilities—often causing subjective difficulties for their social inclusion, which can even surpass objective barriers.

One of the major barriers to inclusive education is the lack of awareness and the prevailing attitudes of general education teachers, school leaders, and the wider community. Schools should serve as the primary venue for promoting awareness about inclusive education. This can be achieved through initiatives such as Learning Action Cell (LAC) sessions for general education teachers, in-service training programs, and general assemblies involving key stakeholders. These efforts will help increase understanding of learners with special needs in regular classroom settings and foster more positive attitudes among teachers, students, and the wider community.

Thank you for sharing your insights. I agree that inclusive education requires an institutional approach and multifaceted methodologies to meet the diverse learning needs of students. Differentiated teaching can be particularly helpful, as it prioritizes individualization, fosters creativity, and develops emotional, psychological, and cognitive flexibility among students with disabilities.

Interesting question and replies.

Although not my field, I belive that most teachers face issues that have to do with implementation. If you ask them, they will say they agree with inclusice education and that all people have right to knowledge.

But when in the classroom there are many challenges, such as folloing the mainstream curriculum, financial restrains, shortage of resources, lack of training and time pressure.

Since inclusive education refers to different groups of people with different needs, the challenges are great.

Thank you for your insights. I agree that there is a significant gap between so-called goodwill, legal regulations, and the real-life situation of inclusive education. It's much easier said than done, because practice requires effort, pedagogical dedication, and a growth mindset—qualities that are not always compatible with each teacher’s and institution’s values, willingness to take on challenges, and ability to turn barriers into opportunities. However, there have been significant advancements in this direction, and the prospects for future positive changes, if not fully promising, are at least encouraging.