"People Just Judge You": Middle School Students Negotiate the Social Barriers to Acting Inclusively

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: Sense of Belonging in Education

Abstract

The present study examined how middle school students perceive inclusion within the social landscape of their school. Twelve focus groups were conducted with 77 middle school students from 8 schools across the United States. Students described the challenges they face when acting inclusively, such as welcoming a new student or saying "hi" to peer with a disability. These challenges include restrictive social norms, peer pressure, and judgement from others. Students also offered ways they could facilitate an inclusive school environment. These findings suggest students are not only acutely aware of the social pressures they face in trying to be inclusive at school, but are actively negotiating these factors and are interested in including others, in spite of the challenges.

Authors

• Natalie Gwendolyn May, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Holly Jacobs, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Emily Van Gaasbeek, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Staci Ballard, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Gary Siperstein, University of Massachusetts - Boston