Today, students with special needs are being held to the same academic standards as their non-disabled peers. Consequently, more students with disabilities are participating in the regular curriculum inside the regular classroom. School districts now hold all professionals accountable for the educational outcomes and academic success of these children. This qualitative research sought to understand the roles and responsibilities of secondary school guidance counselors in the inclusion process. Inclusion refers to the education of students with mild to moderate disabilities in the regular classroom with their non-disabled peers. The focus on secondary schools responded to legislation designed to increase the number of students with disabilities graduating with regular or standard diplomas.

Interviewing was employed as the primary methodology for gathering data. The findings indicated that guidance counselors are critical to successful inclusion, yet their roles have often been overlooked. Participants in this study perceived themselves as advocates, consultants, and quasi-administrators in the inclusion process. The resulting themes were guidance as a hub for inclusion, counselor efficacy, and inclusion as an ethical paradigm. Further investigation of these themes may assist educational leaders in providing students with disabilities access to the regular curriculum through appropriate and proactive involvement of school counselors.