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Conference Program

Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).

Daily Overview

Session

A.11. School Evaluation For Improvement, Equity, Inclusion And Well being (1/2)
Location: Edificio ex Tumminelli (C007): Aula 13

Convenor(s): Cristina Stringher (Invalsi, Italy); Michela Freddano (Invalsi, Italy)

Presentation 1

Critical Issues and Inclusive Perspectives to Promote the Participation of People with Disabilities and Neurodiversities in Educational Contexts

Fabiola Palmiero¹, Davide Di Palma¹, Gianluca Gravino¹, Giovanna Scala¹, Generoso Romano²

1: Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Italy; 2: Università degli Studi di Napoli "Parthenope"

The inclusion of people with disabilities and neurodivergent individuals is essential for the functioning of democratic societies. This study takes a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach to investigating the social, cultural, and structural barriers that restrict the democratic participation of students with disabilities and neurodivergences, and to evaluating the effectiveness of inclusive pedagogical practices in secondary school settings. The sample comprises 120 students, divided into an experimental group who participated in an inclusive educational programme and a control group with comparable characteristics. Validated quantitative tools were employed, including the Inclusive Education Questionnaire and the Participation and Empowerment Scale. The qualitative element, which involved open-ended questionnaires and thematic analysis using NVivo, explored perceptions of, obstacles to, and potential benefits of inclusive practices. The results showed statistically significant differences between the groups, with an increase in perceived participatory self-efficacy and democratic belonging among students involved in the inclusive programme. These findings highlight the need to rethink education as a democratic space that values difference and promotes cultural and structural accessibility to participation.