Achievement and Social Participation of Students With Special Educational Needs in Inclusive Settings: Does Classroom Composition Matter?

• In Event: Students' Compositions in Schools: International Evidence of Learning

Abstract

We investigated effects of student characteristics and classroom composition on academic achievement and social participation of students with special educational needs (SEN). Our sample comprised 50 mainstream classes (1,025 students, 137 with SEN) in German primary schools. Multi-level analyses, controlling for student and classroom composition characteristics, showed that SEN students were disadvantaged regarding Reading achievement and social participation. For both criteria, SEN status did not interact with migration background, social origin, cognitive ability or gender. Moreover, we found no evidence of classroom composition effects on the association between SEN status and achievement or social outcomes on student level. SEN students faced disadvantages regarding academic achievement and social participation, but the examined inclusive classrooms seemed to offer equal opportunities for development.

Authors

• Katja Scharenberg, University of Education - Freiburg

• Wolfram Rollett, PH Freiburg

• Wilfried Bos, University of Dortmund