The Integration of Children with Severe Learning Difficulties: A Review of the Recent Literature

Abstract

This article reviews recent literature on the effects of integrating children with severe learning difficulties (or severe intellectual disabilities) into mainstream schools. It begins with a brief discussion of some of the inherent methodological problems in evaluating integration. This is followed by a review of the literature in the following areas: the role of support workers in facilitating integration; the effect of integration on communication and linguistic interaction; the relevance of curriculum differentiation; the impact of the age, ability and behaviour of the children with disabilities on integration; the effects of integration on children without disabilities; the attitudes of mainstream teachers and Local Education Authority staff towards integration. It concludes with a summary of the main findings and discusses the implications for future policy, provision and research.

Inclusive Pedagogy in Light of Social Justice. Special Educational Rights and Inclusive Classrooms: on whose terms? A Field Study in Stockholm Suburbs

“…() add that important components that are needed to promote inclusive education are: pupil participation in the decision‐making process; positive attitude about the learning abilities of all pupils; teachers' knowledge of learning difficulties; skilled application of specific instructional methods; and parent and teacher support. Farrell (; ) found the role of support staff or special educators to be key. However, according to him, if support staff devote their time to the delivery of a carefully planned individual programme, opportunities for social interactions, which are also important in the process of inclusion, could be affected.…”

“…Farrell () argues that functional integration can never be a viable option for all pupils with special needs throughout their school lives. He rightly surmises that resource‐based models of integration are part of what mainstream schools should offer to enable full‐time inclusion of some children, while providing segregated education (special schools, särskola ) for the social integration of those with profound and multiple difficulties.…”

“…We simply cannot cope under the time pressure in which we work for conversations with the classroom teacher or check the child's development in other areas.The role of special educators is both complex and crucial because they did not have time to consider both cognitive and social aspects of inclusion, as they worked in a specific timeframe and on targets set by the IEP. In addition, they worked simultaneously with many schools in the municipality and had less time to foster their pupils' social interactions and natural development (Farrell, , ).…”

“…In the literature, it has been argued that co‐teaching facilitates inclusion (Farrell, , ; Giangreco, ; Hopkins et al ., ). The following statements from special educators show that it has not always worked well.

There was a girl with behaviour problems; I was her class teacher in grades 2 and 3.

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Recent Trends in the Re-Integration of Pupils with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in the United Kingdom

“…There are, however, a number of empirical arguments in favour of inclusive education, which, unlike socio-political arguments, can be tested against research evidence. Farrell (1997) provides an extensive review of the literature concerned with the inclusion of pupils with learning difficulties. His summary of the evidence suggests that:…”