School Roles: A Way to Investigate Participation

Students who are more engaged in school have higher academic achievement, lower dropout rates, and increased involvement in activities during early adult-hood. Unfortunately, children with disabilities participate less than children without disabilities, thus increasing their risk for depression and anxiety. Thi s study investigated the lack of school participation from a roles perspective. Roles refer to clusters of meaningful activities that are expected of, and assumed by, in-dividuals in various contexts of their lives. Fift een teachers from Southern Ontario, Canada, were interviewed about the roles in which children participate in school and 24 students in grades 4 through 7 were observed in order to deter-mine the roles in