by Dr KE Ren (Rita)
People come to the field of inclusive and special education from different places. Some are already working in education or support roles and are looking to deepen or extend their practice. Others arrive through personal experience, or from different professional backgrounds considering a shift into this area.
Across these different pathways, there is often a shared sense that this is meaningful and purposeful work. It is also a space receiving increasing attention, with ongoing discussions about the growing demand for support and the expansion of provision across educational contexts.
At the same time, a common reflection tends to emerge through experience. What first appears relatively clear begins to feel more layered in practice – whether you are new to the field or have been working within it for some time. It is often at this point that a different question begins to take shape: What does it mean to work – and continue developing – in this field?
Inclusive education in practice is often associated with differentiated teaching strategies, additional supports, or discussion about where a student is educated. These are all important. Still, they only capture part of what is happening. In practice, inclusion also takes shape in how supports are received, understood, and experienced in everyday contexts.
In my own work with children and families, what stands out is the difference between support that exists and support that is actually felt. Similar structures can lead to very different outcomes. For some, they open up participation and a sense of belonging. For others, they feel fragmented or difficult to access in meaningful ways.
I hear similar reflections from educators and professionals I work with on their Master’s research projects. When they describe inclusion in their own professional contexts, they rarely focus on policy or provision alone. Instead, they point to specific moments – what worked, what didn’t, and how support played out in practice. Often, these accounts turn on small but significant details: whether a pupil felt included in a lesson, whether support adapted to their needs, or whether it created distance instead.
What begins to emerge from these experiences is a shift in perspective. Inclusion is better understood through how it is lived. A more person-centred understanding of inclusion brings different questions into view. Rather than asking “Is the student in the classroom?”, it asks:
- Are they able to participate in a meaningful way?
- Do they feel a sense of belonging?
- Does the environment respond to who they are and how they learn?
From this perspective, inclusion takes shape through everyday interactions and experiences. This is where the idea of co-production becomes important. Inclusion cannot be designed in isolation and then applied. It develops through the interaction of multiple perspectives – students themselves, families, educators, SNAs and wider professionals. Each brings a different kind of knowledge. When these perspectives come together, support is more likely to reflect real needs.
When they are absent, even well-intentioned approaches can miss the mark. These experiences are also shaped by the wider conditions within educational settings – leadership, culture, and how support is organised. Inclusion does not sit with individuals alone. It depends on how systems create space for collaboration, reflection, and ongoing adjustment.
Over time, another pattern becomes clear. Inclusion needs to be sustained. What works in one moment may need to be rethought as contexts and needs change.
So, returning to the idea of career, this matters. Choosing to work in inclusive and special education goes beyond entering a profession with a defined set of skills. It involves working within a space that is evolving, sometimes uncertain, and often complex. It calls for engagement with people as much as with practices, and a willingness to keep learning through lived experience.
If you’re considering this path, the question is not only How do I get there? but also:
Am I ready to engage with what inclusion really asks of us?