Bridging the Gap in Education

Bridging the Gap: Effective Strategies for Including Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms Although federal and state policies-such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)-mandate inclusive practices, implementation at the classroom level remains inconsistent. Many teachers face challenges such as limited training, inadequate resources, and large class sizes that hinder full participation of students with disabilities.The study employed a mixed-methods design, combining teacher and administrator surveys with open-ended interviews. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and thematic interpretation using the frameworks of Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).