Do learners with special education needs really feel included? Evidence from the Perception of Inclusion Questionnaire and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.
Feelings of inclusion can improve quickly between grades 6 and 7 for students with SEN—track it with the Perception of Inclusion Questionnaire.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team gave two short surveys to 331 middle-schoolers. Some kids had special-education needs. Others were typical learners.
They repeated the surveys in grades 6 and 7. They wanted to see if feelings of inclusion changed over time.
What they found
In grade 6, students with SEN scored lower on academic self-concept and emotional inclusion. By grade 7, those gaps almost disappeared.
However, conduct problems stayed higher for the SEN group in both years.
How this fits with other research
Titlestad et al. (2019) extends this work to high-school service-learning. Their students with severe disabilities joined a food-pantry project. Both studies show inclusion is possible, but supports must be clear.
Furlano et al. (2020) found autistic kids over-rate their school skills. McGarty et al. (2018) found SEN kids under-rate theirs. The two results look opposite. The difference is in the questions: Rosaria asked "How good am I?" while M asked "Do I feel part of the class?" Both can be true at once.
Tsakanikos et al. (2011) and Chetcuti et al. (2026) also checked if disability scales work as intended. M et al. adds evidence that the Perception of Inclusion Questionnaire is stable across grades.
Why it matters
Use the Perception of Inclusion Questionnaire each semester. It takes five minutes and shows whether kids feel they belong. If scores jump between grades 6 and 7, keep doing what you’re doing. If they stall, add peer buddies or teacher check-ins. Track the data; feelings change fast in middle school.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: School inclusion is an important right of students in school systems around the world. However, many students with special education needs (SEN) have lower perceptions of inclusion despite attending inclusive schools. AIMS: This study examined perceived levels of inclusion, academic self-concept and developmental problems in inclusive schools. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Perception of Inclusion Questionnaire were administered at two measurement points (6th and 7th grade; n = 407, including 48 with SEN) at multiple inclusive schools. Responses were compared based on gender, grade level, and SEN. Factor structure and measurement invariance were evaluated. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Factor structures of both questionnaires were confirmed. Academic self-concept and emotional inclusion were lower for learners with SEN. However, these effects shrank in grade 7. Similarly, academic self-concept increased between grade 6 and 7. Lastly, learners with SEN had a higher level of conduct problems. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Both instruments remain suitable for use in comparisons in inclusive schools. Significant differences exist for learners with SEN in inclusive classrooms, although these differences may shrink over time. We recommend the continued use of the Perception of Inclusion Questionnaire for information about school inclusion and for learners with SEN.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2018 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2018.07.007