An Exploration of the Sense of Belonging of Students with Special Educational Needs.

Abstract

Sense of school belonging is associated with increased wellbeing and academic progress. It is also seen as central to the experience of inclusion in schools. Employing a mixed methods design, this study compares the level of belonging of students with special educational needs (SEN) with a sample of their non-SEN peers. Semi-structured interviews are used to explore barriers and facilitators associated with school belonging for a sample of students attending a large post-primary school in Ireland. Results indicate that students with SEN presented with a lower level of belonging than their non-SEN peers. They also reported distinctive barriers which impacted on their connection to school. Findings indicate that interventions to promote school belonging need to address the specific challenges experienced by students with SEN. A focus on a sense of belonging in schools is seen to offer an effective means for monitoring the social inclusion of students with SEN.