The effects of the presence of a class facilitator in the socialization of a child with a statement of needs

Abstract

Education in Malta is still going through the challenge of including children with disabilities in ordinary classrooms. The aim of the study was to describe the experiences of students with a statement of needs who are in an inclusive classroom. A qualitative multiple case-study design was adopted. Four children with different ages were observed in their ordinary classrooms. The children observed were a seven year old, an eight year old, a nine year old and a ten year old. One common factor about these children was that they all had a profile of autism. Semi-structured interviews were held with the parents, the teachers and the facilitators of each child. Also a sociometric test was administered in each child's classroom. Qualitative analysis of data showed various arguments, which describe the experiences of the students in their ordinary classrooms. The results of the study showed that there are better inclusive experiences in the classroom when the following criteria are followed. That is having a positive attitude toward inclusion, when the team involved is not only trained but also more collaborative, when all the peers are involved.