Key Factors Influencing Inclusive Placement Decisions of Students With Extensive Support Needs

This qualitative study examined educational professionals’ experiences including students with extensive support needs (ESN) in general education settings. Data were collected from 18 education professionals, including 5 special education teachers, 5 paraeducators, 4 administrators, and 4 general education teachers. The researcher used semi-structured interviews and analyzed them using thematic coding. The findings showed that the significant factors influencing successful inclusion were the belief systems of educational professionals, the number of general education classes available for inclusion, selective data collection by educators, superficial inclusion of students, the critical role of paraeducators, and interpersonal relationships among parents and educators. Recommendations included using multiple data collection methods, documenting student work in inclusive settings, revamping the paraeducator hiring and training process, increasing collaboration between general and special education teachers, expanding the number of classrooms available for ESN students, training general education teachers to teach all students, and challenging deficit thinking in teacher education programs.