In the inclusive/special education literature, practitioners often claim that using portfolios is excessively time-intensive, while other researchers lay claim to positive possibilities for students with disabilities/exceptionalities, such as increased self-esteem, internal locus of control, choice-making, and active participation in learning. To explore both the time-consuming charge and the positive possibilities associated with portfolio use, we conducted a case study with students with disabilities/exceptionalities and some labelled at-risk in the second author's elementary classroom. Data sources included a research journal, general classroom observations, and structured student interviews. We found that the teacher identified more examples of positive outcomes than did her students and that implementing portfolios can indeed be a protracted process. We theorize about these findings and offer some concluding suggestions to mitigate labour intensity to better support students with disabilities/exceptionalities. (Contains 1 table.)