An embedded case study using children's perspectives : analysis of social relationships in an inclusive setting

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze social relationships in an inclusive elementary school classroom using expressive media. The school was a Northeastern Pennsylvania urban elementary school. The children and their parents were required to sign consent forms for participation in the study. A total of 15 students choose to participate in the study. One child in the classroom has diagnoses of Asperger Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Observations, the children's artwork and stories, and an interview with the teacher were used as methods of data collection. The children's artwork and stories were analyzed for certain themes. Three themes emerged regarding inclusion or exclusion, peer relationships and gender. The information collected from the classroom observations and the interview with the teacher was consistent with the findings within the themes. Overall, the conclusions indicate that inclusion not only affects the child with special needs, but also the typically developing children in the classroom and the teacher. The child with special needs can be easily identified among the children in the classroom. The results of the study support the need for occupational therapy in inclusive classroom settings.