Historically, diversity and inclusivity in the educational system have only sometimes been as welcoming as today (Boroson, 2017; Osgood, 2005). According to the literature on inclusion in education, several factors have contributed to negative perceptions of students with disabilities participating in general education classrooms (Abawi, 2015; Morgan, 2015; Rotter, 2014; Ware, 2016). In response to an increase of students with disabilities in general education classrooms, researchers have recommended courses for professional development and higher education to support the needs of general education teachers teaching such diverse populations of learners (Zagona et al., 2017). This qualitative study explored the perceptions of general education teachers teaching students with disabilities in general education classrooms. More specifically, this study explored a) perceptions of the impact of inclusion on instructional strategies, (b) perceived level of preparedness to effectively teach students with disabilities, (c) professional development needs of regular education teachers instructing students with disabilities, and (d) collaborative relationships between regular and special educators. This study used critical disability theory as the theoretical framework to understand how a general education teacher's perception influences their beliefs and practice when teaching students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Twelve general education teachers from the same school district participated in face-to-face interviews and provided two weeks of lesson plans for document analysis. Data was gathered and analyzed using a grounded theory approach, constantly comparing patterns from initial, focused, and theoretical codes. Four theoretical codes emerged from the data: The Odyssey, Maneuvering Diversity, Distress Signals, and Collaboration Beacon. These theoretical codes describe how participants navigate inclusion to serve the needs of all students and the challenges they face with collaborative teaching. The results of this study show that although improvements to inclusive practices have been made, few improvements have been made in preparing general education teachers to teach students with disabilities (Chitiyo, 2017; Gilmour & Wehby, 2019; Robinson et al., 2019). Results from this study revealed that general education teacher's perceptions of inclusion have a direct impact on their practices and beliefs. Compelled to see all learners succeed, participants overcame challenges and immersed themselves in finding innovative ways to teach students with disabilities. Data from this study showed that most general education teachers are not prepared to know and understand the social, emotional, and cognitive needs of students with disabilities. Participants expressed the critical need for higher education programs to provide courses and field experiences focused on inclusive practices. In addition, the findings of this study indicated that most general education teachers do not participate in professional development opportunities specific to teaching students with disabilities. Participants shared how they repeatedly asked school administrators for professional development focused on providing instruction for students with disabilities, managing challenging behaviors, and collaborative teaching methods. Finally, findings from this study revealed that most general and special education teachers are not using effective co-teaching methods. Barriers such as not having common planning times, balancing heavy caseloads, and accommodating multiple schedules often interfered with the collaborative efforts of general and special education teachers. Based on the findings of this study, future research is needed in school districts across the United States to identify guidelines used when determining the educational placement, instructional accommodations, curriculum modifications, and special education support for a student with a disability. In addition, future research should investigate school districts throughout the United States to determine if general and special education teachers participate in appropriate professional development opportunities focused on effective collaborative teaching, instructional accommodations, and managing challenging behaviors. Lastly, future research should investigate teacher preparation programs to compare and determine if general education and special education preservice teachers receive appropriate training and strategies for instructional planning and managing behaviors of students with disabilities in a general education classroom. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]