Inclusion in Education: Comparing pupils' development in special and regular education

Abstract

Large-scale longitudinal data on differences in pupils' cognitive and psychosocial development in various types of special and mainstream ('regular') schools are reported in this article. The study focuses on comparing the development of matched pairs of primary-aged pupils in mainstream and special education over periods of 2 and 4 years. After 2 years, pupils made more progress in mathematics in mainstream education than in schools for children with learning and behavioural difficulties [LBD] and school motivation developed more favourably in schools for pupils with mild mental retardation [MMR]. After 4 years, pupils in regular education had made more progress in academic performance than their matched pairs in special education. Development is analysed with respect to the use of internal differentiation in the classroom and special provision for pupils with LBD/MMR. The hypothesis that the degree of specialist care being offered helps these pupils could not be confirmed. In the qualitative part of the research, processes at the level of the pupil, the school and the family are studied in order to look for explanations for divergent developments in academic performance and psychosocial functioning. These processes seem to be associated with unique patterns of pupil characteristics, school characteristics and family circumstances.