Working successfully towards inclusion—or excluding pupils? : A comparative retroductive study of three similar schools in their work with EBD

• Background. Sweden uses municipally run Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) for students displaying emotional behavioural difficulties (EBD). This study investigates one Swedish municipality where transfers of students to PRUs were related to school practices favouring either inclusion or exclusion.Method. A purposeful sampling procedure was used to select three elementary schools with regard to their success (School A) or failure (B and C) in keeping pupils with problematic behaviours at school. These three schools are in catchment areas with similar socio-economic conditions. A mixed methods research design was combined with comparative case studies in a retroductive approach.Results. School A had only one pupil transferred to a PRU in ten years, whereas such transfers from B and C were almost tenfold. School A distinguished itself from the other two schools by its number of inclusive qualities. This school succeeded in keeping almost all students without depriving other students of their rightful learning.Conclusions. All data showed that the reasons for the differences in exclusion rates were to be found inside the schools and not inside the pupils. Accordingly, the results from this study indicate that the number of children viewed as having behaviour problems is closely related to the quality of their schools regarding work with special needs education. In an era when behavioural difficulties are most often seen as behavioural difficulties within children, the results from this study call for a redirection of focus, from individuals’ behaviours to educational factors.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Education

Pedagogik

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)