This is "Tricky"! : A Micro-ethnographic Study of Participation and Inclusion of Integrated Students with Intellectual Development Disorder in Swedish Compulsory Schools

Abstract: The aim of this study is to provide increased knowledge about the experiences of some Swedish students with intellectual development disorder who are enrolled in compulsory school for pupils with learning disabilities and study according to that curriculum but attend school as integrated students. The study examines how these students understand opportunities and experiences of participation and inclusion in their learning environment and social existence based on self-perceived experiences. Furthermore, this study explores how inclusion and participation are manifested in the school environments. This study utilized a qualitative research design, micro-ethnography. The participants were one to three children aged 6-14 years with intellectual development disorders who are enrolled in compulsory school as integrated students. During the two-month-long study, we acted as participant observers making observations of the participants in the different school settings while simultaneously functioning as resources for the classes. We also engaged the participants in recorded conversations concerning points that needed to be clarified. Data were analyzed using four aspects of the Participation Model as well as two aspects from the Index of Inclusion. The results show that participants often had difficulty expressing themselves when commenting upon their participation experience. The participants almost always chose adult contact over contact with other children of the same age. Participants were allowed to make decisions that were respected, however, most of the decisions were decisions to not take part in an activity. Participants generally took part willingly in activities that required individual participation with some adult support. The school settings were generally very accepting of participants. A prerequisite for participation was support from adults and access to an adapted learning environment. Without various supports, it was difficult for participants to take part in many activities within the educational culture. It was difficult to discern participants' subjective feelings and experiences of inclusion through their own actions and words, as we were not able to observe participants reflecting upon this experience. Furthermore, it was difficult to ‌fit our data into a theoretical framework that allowed us to interpret inclusion. We observed multiple occasions where educators had plans for inclusion for an activity, however, often the execution of the activity led to exclusion of participants. Much of the inclusion was in the physical form of help from other students as well as staff who removed barriers to learning and participation. Furthermore, we observed that all adults in the school environment provided support for students to feel included by being valued and allowing participation on their own terms.  By utilizing the integrated students’ voices about participation and inclusion, this study can exemplify the challenges and difficulties of achieving inclusion and participation for all students in a School for All and hopefully provide schools with direction in both the development and improvement for all students within the fields of inclusion and participation.