Abstract
Although access to general curriculum content is most likely to occur in general education contexts, teachers and educational personnel are often challenged to implement the practice. In this instrumental case study, we examined the ways that a team of educational personnel in a district, which was identified as an exemplar of inclusive education, understood and worked to overcome the barriers to providing students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) access to general education content in general education contexts. Educational personnel faced typical barriers to inclusive education, including educational personnel's beliefs and values, knowledge and practices, and time to collaborate. We examined the ways that the educational personnel engaged in reform in order to draw conclusions about how change processes occur when the goal is access to the general curriculum in general education contexts. Findings suggest that, although the process of change can take time, administrators implemented a “forced change” to spur a values shift while offering continued support. Educational personnel engaged in ongoing learning and collaboration to maintain the momentum of the change toward the shared vision while continuing to build relationships with students and provide individualized support. Implications in relationship to policy and practice for inclusive education are discussed.