THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: SPECIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PUPILS WITH MILD INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES TALK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE FROM A SOCIAL CO-EXISTENCE PROGRAM
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v6i2.3236Keywords:
the social dimension of inclusion, social co-existence program, intellectual disabilities, school psychological support, GreeceAbstract
Formally, inclusive education is part of the primary policies in the Greek educational system. However, pupils with intellectual disabilities still attend special schools and their socialization is mainly monitored through the implementation of social co-existence programs in the school setting. The present study aimed to explore the outcomes of a social co-existence program that was implemented in two co-located schools, a general education elementary school and a special education elementary school. Semi-structured interviews with the special education elementary school pupils were used for pre- and post-intervention assessments. Qualitative analyses of the data revealed important differentiations in the ways pupils with intellectual disabilities understood a) their social interaction with typically developing peers and b) acceptance by peers. In fact, the pupils with intellectual disabilities consistently acknowledged that participation in the social co-existence program enhanced their social interactions and improved acceptance by peer.
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