Ontosystemic and Microsystemic Conditions toward Inclusive Education of Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in Quebec Primary School

Abstract

Using the ecological model of Bronfenbrenner (1979), the purpose of this study was to document the perceptions of primary school stakeholders concerning the favorable and unfavorable conditions that support inclusive education with student presenting emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), more specifically about the characteristics of the students (onto) and the school environment (micro). Based on a qualitative interpretative approach, interviews were conducted with 58 school stakeholders at five Quebec primary schools. The results of content analysis for ontosystem showed that school stakeholders perceived the characteristics of students with EBD from a deficit perspective, which relied on perceptions that students do not have sufficient skills for inclusive education to be considered. From the microsystemic perspective, participants reported that inclusive education is fostered by the quality of relationships between students and school stakeholders, the educational practices, and the needs of support from paraprofessionals. The results underline the complexity surrounding key conditions to successfully realizing the project of inclusive education for students having EBD.