Facilitating the social participation of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream schools: A review of school-based interventions

Abstract

Inclusive education of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) has become a global trend. However, a considerable number of studies have shown that mere enrolment in mainstream classrooms is not enough to support the social participation of pupils with SEN. These children are at risk of experiencing difficulties in their involvement with peers at school. Thus, the question arises of how social participation can be fostered in mainstream classrooms. A systematic review of 35 studies was conducted to investigate which interventions are effective in inclusive mainstream preschool and elementary classrooms. Teaching interaction strategies to typically developing pupils, group activities in the academic context (cooperative learning and peer-tutoring), support groups for pupils with SEN, and training paraprofessionals to facilitate social interactions, were found to improve the social participation of pupils with SEN in general education classrooms. Nevertheless, there is need for more intervention studies implementing a variety of strategies and including different groups of pupils with SEN.

Relationship between the social participation and social skills of pupils with an intellectual disability: A study in inclusive classrooms

“…Focusing on group processes rather than on individual characteristics has been a promising approach regarding the development and evaluation of interventions to foster social interactions among pupils with and without SEN (Whalon et al, 2015). Indeed, facilitating social participation requires the effort and engagement of all, including peers and teachers (Farmer, McAuliffe Lines, & Hamm, 2011;Garrote, Sermier Dessemontet, & Moser Opitz, 2017;Gest & Rodkin, 2011). This change of perspective could also be beneficial for research on social participation.…”

Socially responsive classrooms for students with special educational needs and disabilities

“…First, with regards to practice implications, the results of this study stress that mere locational inclusion is a very basic condition and to be part of a classroom social network does not happen by chance, especially for students with SEND, as shown in C2. As argued in a recent review, mere enrolment in mainstream classrooms is not enough to support the social participation of students with SEND (Garrote, Dessemontet, & Opitz, 2016). These students may require extra and more personalized support to enable their full and active participation in the network, as in C1.…”

Internalizing Behavior of Sociometrically Neglected Students in Inclusive Primary Classrooms – A Methodological Issue?

“…In view of the educational placement of students with SEN in mainstream schools, a major challenge and goal for education policy and educators is the successful social inclusion of these children. The importance of the topic has been emphasized in previous studies, where it is assumed that students with SEN are an at-risk group for social exclusion in mainstream schools (Frostad et al, 2011;Krull et al, 2014;Garrote et al, 2017;Henke et al, 2017). However, proper conceptualization and measurement of social inclusion of students with SEN is the subject of an ongoing debate (Chambers and Kay, 1992;Frederickson et al, 2007;Koster et al, 2009;Gerullis and Huber, 2018).…”