Why I Joined HiNAIA After 14 Years in Special Education

By Kimberly Barnes, Director of Learning

My classroom as a special education and mathematics teacher. My years in the classroom continue to shape how I think about accessibility, personalized learning, and the supports students need to succeed.

Over the past 14 years, I've served as a special education teacher and secondary math teacher across a wide range of learning environments. These have included self-contained classrooms, inclusive general education settings, and dual enrollment courses at the college level. 

In addition to classroom teaching, I’ve developed and implemented IEPs that align with each student’s individual learning goals, and collaborated extensively with families, service providers, and colleagues to ensure all students receive the support they need to succeed. 

As part of my district’s Canvas Pilot program, I was among the first cohort of educators to fully integrate a learning management system into instruction. This experience strengthened my expertise in digital accessibility, adaptive technology, and online instructional design, skills that continue to inform my work today. 

Why HiNAIA?

HiNAIA’s mission aligns with the core of my professional practice: expanding access to personalized instruction for students who have historically been underserved, overlooked, or underestimated. 

Throughout my career, I have worked with students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD, autism, and other learning differences. I have seen firsthand how difficult it can be for educators to balance individualized support, IEP implementation, accessibility needs, and rigorous academic expectations. What drew me to HiNAIA was the opportunity to help build technology that supports both students and the educators who believe in their success.

I joined HiNAIA to help design a learning platform that: 

• Reflects the diversity of real classrooms 

• Reduces barriers for students with learning differences 

• Provides practical, accessible tools for educators and caregivers 

• Promotes inclusive, high expectation learning environments 

  
  

As Director of Learning, I bring both classroom expertise and a deep understanding of compliance, pedagogy, and assistive technology. My focus is on building systems that not only meet regulatory standards, but actually work for the people who rely on them every day. 

I believe technology should strengthen the work educators do every day. By supporting personalized learning, improving access to accommodations, and helping create more inclusive learning environments, we can better meet the needs of all learners while giving educators more time to focus on what matters most: teaching and building relationships with students.

The Future of Special Education and AI

At HiNAIA, I am contributing to the development of a platform that combines Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles with AI-powered personalized learning. This includes working with our teams to design instructional pathways, IEP-aligned and evidence-based learning tools, and educator-facing tools that are grounded in best practices. Together with our team, I’m excited to support a future where every learner is empowered, and every teacher is equipped. 

Credentials 

• Master’s in Special Education 

• Graduate Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders 

• Bachelor’s in Secondary Mathematics Education 

• National Board-Certified Teacher 

• Certified to teach Mathematics, Special Education, and English as a Second Language