How special are mainstream schools? Reflections on social spaces for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties

Simmons, B (2021) 'How special are mainstream schools? Reflections on social spaces for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties.' PMLD Link, 33.3 (100). pp. 36-38. ISSN 2042-5619

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Abstract

There is on-going debate about whether children with PMLD should attend mainstream schools or special schools. Whilst the United Nations has declared the right of all children to an ‘inclusive’ education, some commentators have argued that special schools provide the resources and teaching approaches that children with PMLD require. This paper questions the logic of this debate. It presents research that explored the experiences of children with PMLD who attended mainstream schools. The research found that some mainstream schools were similar to special schools in terms of how children with PMLD were supported. However, the research also found that the specialist approaches used by mainstream staff created barriers to peer interaction. If peer interaction is a central goal of ‘inclusion’ then more work is needed to explore how school staff can balance specialist teaching approaches with genuine opportunities for peer interaction.

Item Type: Article
Divisions: School of Education
Research Centres and Groups: Centre for Research in Equity, Inclusion and Community
Date Deposited: 27 Jan 2022 17:47
Last Modified: 16 May 2022 10:10
URI / Page ID: https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/14531
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