Premium
Mainstream or Special Educational Settings: The Views of Spanish People With Intellectual Disability
Author(s) -
Nieto Cristina,
Moriña Anabel
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of policy and practice in intellectual disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.592
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1741-1130
pISSN - 1741-1122
DOI - 10.1111/jppi.12372
Subject(s) - mainstream , inclusion (mineral) , intellectual disability , empathy , mainstreaming , special educational needs , qualitative research , psychology , curriculum , special education , pedagogy , special needs , sociology , social psychology , social science , political science , psychiatry , law
This article aims to contribute to the debate on how different educational contexts can facilitate the inclusion or exclusion of people with intellectual disabilities (ID). We carried out a qualitative study based on the principles of inclusive research with 36 Spanish adults with ID. The data were gathered through individual interviews, which were transcribed, summarized, and adapted for later analysis and coding with participants. Together with participants, we coded the interviews into two main categories: “mainstream schools” and “special schools.” The results revealed the experiences of people with ID in mainstream schools, resource rooms, and special education schools, analyzing their preferences for regular or special contexts. The main conclusions drawn suggest that people with ID had both negative and positive experiences of inclusion at mainstream schools. Nevertheless, they preferred regular contexts, valued the help provided by SEN support teachers, and highlighted the importance of adjusting the curriculum to students' educational needs. They also emphasized the need for greater empathy from classmates at mainstream schools.