What are the actual differences between special education and general education? Is it just the use of acronyms or the individualized approaches like IEPs? 

Nope.

Is it the difference in class sizes? 

No.

Based on data from hundreds of interviews show that these differences don’t even scratch the surface of how distinct these two worlds really are. 

Today, we’ll break down the top four common themes regarding the differences between general education and special education. 

#1 Teaching Strategies: The Core Difference

Teaching methods remain among the most significant contrasts between general and special education classrooms. Let’s look at what differentiates the two approaches:

– General Education: Teaching to the Middle

In general classrooms, teachers often need to “teach to the middle.” This teaching philosophy caters to the “average” student in a class of 30 or more. 

The challenge? 

Not every child fits neatly into this “average” category. Above-average students may find themselves bored, while below-average students could feel overwhelmed.

Take the example of a virtual classroom with 56 students and only one teacher. In such cases, children who need extra focus often fall through the cracks, which can lead to behavioral issues. 

Bored students may act out simply because they aren’t challenged enough. 

Plans are typically created for children who act out. However, the focus is only on the behavior, not the root cause. 

Why? 

Because they have great grades. Our system is mainly designed to focus only on grades to determine if there’s an academic struggle. 

They don’t focus on the opposite of struggle, which is academic boredom. 

What about children below average? 

On the other hand, children struggling to keep up may grow frustrated or anxious, potentially leading to the same behaviors their bored peers did — acting out disruptively. 

These children often simply need to be taught in a different way than average peers. If left unchecked, not only do these children not learn, but the trouble they get into often increases with age. 

– Special Education: Individualized Instruction

In contrast, special education directly addresses: 

• Where each child is academically
• How the individual child learns best
• Every student receives a personalized education plan, known as an IEP. 

This proactive approach ensures that every child’s growth is based on their individual pace and learning style. From targeted interventions to hands-on activities, special education equips students with tools to thrive.

What makes an IEP so impactful? Learn more about the steps involved in creating an IEP and how it benefits children in special education programs.

#2 Paperwork: The Unseen Burden

It’s no secret that teachers juggle endless tasks, but special education teachers face an overwhelming paperwork load. Both general education and special education teachers take home work such as grading:

• Papers
• Tests
• Essays
• Worksheets

Beyond regular grading duties, special education teachers are also responsible for handling:

• IEPs
• Quarterly reports
• Data tracking for IEP goals
• Data tracking for extended school year requirements
• And much more

– The Time Crunch

For many teachers, these extra responsibilities bleed into personal time. Nights, weekends, and holidays often turn into grading sessions. 

Many teachers are left feeling drained and on the brink of burnout.

– Systemic Challenges

The problem isn’t just the paperwork itself—it’s the system.

One teacher sought support by asking for fewer students in her classroom, but the school instead assigned her an additional aide to handle teaching while she focused solely on paperwork. 

This approach isn’t a solution; it’s merely a Band-Aid on a broken system, depriving students of the individualized instruction they need.

For insights on how educators manage the complex environments of special education, explore self-contained classrooms as another model used for highly specialized teaching needs.

#3 The Inclusion Dilemma: Lack of Training

Inclusion has become a central goal in modern education, aiming to integrate special needs students into general education classrooms.

According to advocates for this idea, it allows children with special needs to interact with their peers and learn social cues from this least restrictive environment. 

While beneficial in theory, this approach exposes a glaring issue: insufficient training for general education teachers.

– General Education Teachers’ Struggle

For many general educators, teaching students with special needs feels intimidating. They find themselves overwhelmed without proper training on specific educational methods or behavioral interventions. 

One teacher shared that at her school, special educators were constantly called by general education teachers to observe and help a child in their classes. 

– Widening the Support Gap

Every time a special education teacher is called away from their classroom to assist, their own students lose precious teaching time. Bridging this gap starts with equipping general educators with practical strategies to handle diverse classrooms. 

#4 Burnout: A Rising Crisis in Special Education

Burnout isn’t new in education. It can be felt by any teacher, aide, or anyone working in an inadequate under-resourced system. 

However, burnout has reached alarming levels in special education roles.

Over the last decade, the number of special education teachers in the U.S. has dropped by 17%. Unfortunately, the demand for special education classrooms has grown every year due to increased diagnoses of learning disabilities. 

This means: 

• Class sizes continue to increase 
• Paperwork increases
• Children don’t get the one-on-one attention they need. 
• Intensified demands place added pressure on already overburdened teachers.

Some school districts permit teachers without proper certification to lead special education classrooms while they train on the job. This makes navigating already complex environments even harder for educators.

A Solution Rooted in Personalization

The massive gap between needs and available resources within the school system is what originally led us to start special education tutoring.

Our number one goal is to help children reach their excellence. We do that by creating a customized, one-on-one learning experience delivered online. 

One-on-one or small group instruction could help alleviate many of the issues faced in traditional settings. 

The key lies in putting the child at the center of the learning experience — something that’s often easier to achieve outside the constraints of traditional classrooms.

By prioritizing customized education paths and leveraging technology, parents and educators can create a sustainable learning environment for special needs students.

Do you have a child that needs one-on-one assistance?  

We offer one-on-one special education tutoring that can be done from anywhere the student is! Why? Because our special education experts conduct their sessions online!

Get started with a free consultation today!

Additional Special Education Resources

• 5 Steps to Effective IEP Goals: Parent’s Guide to IEP Goal Setting
• What Is Least Restrictive Environment in Special Education?
• Present Level of Performance The Most Important Part of an IEP Explained
• Self Advocacy in Special Education Parent’s Guide