Experiences and learning outcomes of students without special educational needs in inclusive settings: a systematic review

ABSTRACT

This systematic review explores the experiences and learning outcomes of students without special educational needs (SEN) in inclusive settings. Based on a literature search, 450 records were screened, and 37 qualitative and quantitative studies were included. According to the main findings, peers show good attitudes towards students with SEN, especially when they are female or had prior contacts with disability. Peers express a certain level of social acceptance and empathy towards students with SEN, together with worries regarding consequences of inclusion on their individual learning outcomes. Findings on peers’ academic achievement and noncognitive outcomes are contradictory. The paper addresses barriers and backlashes deriving from the lack of a common definition of inclusion and a low methodological quality of the research available in the field. On the one hand, the results underline that the selected studies tend to overlook relevant variables, both contextual and individual. On the other hand, limitations are related to the non-availability of high-quality and rigorous experimental studies. The review highlights the urgent need to establish common criteria for the definition, implementation, and research in inclusive education in order to give more reliable information to stakeholders and policymakers.

KEYWORDS:

• Inclusive education
• peers
• attitudes
• perceptions
• learning outcomes
• systematic review

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 Our review includes two studies conducted in Saudi Arabia and Iran, where schools are separated by gender.

2 Since we included in this category studies with different quantitative designs, it was not suitable to analyse the results together in a statistical way (Lipsey and Wilson 2001). The results are, therefore, explained in a descriptive way.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Silvia Dell’Anna

Silvia Dell’Anna is a postdoctoral researcher and contract professor in Special and Inclusive Education at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy. She received her PhD in 2018 from the Faculty of Education at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. Her area of interest and expertise concerns the effective and sustainable implementation of Inclusive Education.

Marta Pellegrini

Marta Pellegrini is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Florence, Italy. She received her PhD in 2018 from the Department of Education and Psychology at the University of Florence. Her research interests include evidence-based education, and systematic reviews.

Dario Ianes

Dario Ianes is a Full Professor of Special and Inclusive Education at the Faculty of Education at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. He is co-founder of the publishing house and training centre ‘Centro Studi Erickson’ of Trento (Italy). He is author of numerous articles and monographs, in Italy and abroad, on individualisation and personalisation strategies for students with disabilities and special educational needs, the use of ICF and the role of support teachers in inclusive schools, as well as legislation in favour of non-stigmatising and effective policies for Inclusive Education.