The Effects of Inclusion on the Social Functioning of Students with Learning Disabilities

TLDR

The study aimed to examine social functioning—peer acceptance, self‑concept, loneliness, and alienation—of second‑ to fourth‑grade students in a year‑long inclusive classroom. Researchers assessed social functioning of learning‑disabled, low‑achieving, and average/high‑achieving students at the start and end of the school year. Learning‑disabled students were less liked and more rejected than average/high‑achieving peers, had lower academic self‑concept, but showed no difference in loneliness and increased reciprocal friendships over the year. The discussion centers on how inclusion affects the social functioning of students with learning disabilities.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide data on the social functioning (i.e., the degree of peer acceptance, self-concept, loneliness, and social alienation) of students in second, third, and fourth grade who participated in an inclusive classroom for an entire year. The social functioning of students identified as learning disabled (LD; n = 16), low achieving (LA; n = 27), and average/high achieving (AHA; n = 21) was assessed at the beginning and end of the school year. The students with LD were less well liked and more frequently rejected than AHA students. Although students' overall self-worth did not differ by achievement group, the students with LD demonstrated significantly lower academic self-concept scores. The students with LD did not differ on ratings of loneliness, and they demonstrated increases in the number of within-class reciprocal friendships from fall to spring. Discussion focuses on the effects of inclusion on the social functioning of students with LD.