Social participation in inclusive classrooms. Empirical and theoretical foundations of an intervention program

Abstract

Improving the social participation of children with special educational needs (SEN) is one of the central goals of inclusive education. However, studies consistently show that children with SEN included in general education classrooms are at risk of being socially excluded by their peers. Interventions are required to promote every child’s social participation. This article reviews skill-based, environment-based, and multicomponent interventions promoting the social participation of children with SEN included in general education classrooms. It then describes a multicomponent intervention program encompassing intervention strategies taking place at the individual, group, and teacher level. A first strategy is to provide pupils with opportunities to learn social skills in peer learning dyads. A second aims at forging a common group identity by holding regular group meetings to discuss common social goals. A third consists of supporting teachers to improve their feedback.