School experiences of pupils with physical impairments over time

Abstract

This article focuses on the experiences of seven youths with physical impairments within primary and secondary school. Overall, participants considered secondary school to better accommodate their needs, although limited accessibility and flexibility complicated their possibilities for participation. The emphasis was not placed on the completion of educational activities, but rather on whether or not the pupils had the opportunity to engage in selected activities alongside their peers and were actively consulted in the implementation of these activities. The stability versus change in the views of the youths was of interest, especially how they interpreted certain school experiences compared with when they were younger.

Keywords:

• youth
• physical impairment
• participation
• school
• longitudinal

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the adolescents who participated in the study for giving their time and insights. This research was supported by the University of Akureyri Research Fund.