Students with Down syndrome in primary education in the Netherlands: regular or special? : effects of school placement on the development and the social network of children with Down syndrome and conditions for inclusive education

Since the 1980s in the Netherlands more and more children with Down syndrome are entering regular schools. Three research questions were explored. 1. What does the development of Down syndrome regular elementary school placement look like expressed in numbers? In chapter 2 and chapter 3, a demographic model for birth and population prevalence of Down syndrome was developed and validated. For the Netherlands, birth prevalence currently is estimated at 14 per 10,000 with around 275 total annual births. The impact of selective abortion is lower than in the UK. Dutch Down syndrome population prevalence is estimated at 7.7 per 10,000 and the total population at 12,600 individuals. In addition, in chapter 4, an estimation was made of the number and percentage in regular schools. The total primary school aged Down syndrome population (specially and regularly placed children taken together) has risen from 1300 in the school year 1985-86 to 2100 in 2005-06. This rise continues until 2010 and then the numbers will stabilize. It can be concluded that the percentage of all children with Down syndrome in the age range 4-13 in regular primary education has risen from 1% or 2% (at the very most about 20 children) in 1986-87, to 10% (about 140 children) in 1991-92, to 25% (about 400) in 1996-97, to 35% (about 650) in 2001-02, and to 37% (about 800) since 2005-06. Nowadays, around 56% of all five year old children with Down syndrome enter a regular school. A little more than 40% of children who have entered a regular school remain in regular education for their entire primary school period. Inclusion in secondary education is still rare. 2. What is the effect of regular versus special school placement of students with Down syndrome on their self help skills, language, academics and social functioning? In chapter 5 (a review of literature) and chapter 6 (a Dutch survey study), it is concluded that regular placement yields better development of language and academic skills, even after the effect of selective placement on ability has been taken into account. As regards self help skills, under the same condition, there seem to be no differences. For most social aspects (social network, behavior, self competence) no differences at all or small positive differences for regularly placed children were found. 3. Under which conditions will regular placement of students with Down syndrome be most likely successful? This question is explored in chapter 5 (review) and chapter 7 (a qualitative research into twenty cases of U+2018problematic integration situationsU+2019). Three conclusions were derived. Firstly, although certain child characteristics (particularly a - at least perceived - lack of learning potential, happiness at school, communication skills and social involvement) increase the risk for an early ending of the regular school placement, these characteristics are dynamic. Child characteristics and environment are mutually influencing each other. Moreover, not the factual child characteristics themselves, but the perception of these characteristics by others, make the difference. Secondly, according to parents and counselors from special education, differences in staff attitude and school vision on inclusion, and according to parents, counselors and regular teachers alike, the way teachers, assistants, counselors and parents manage to work together determine whether a child will succeed or not at a certain regular school. Thirdly, on the other hand success at one point in time is no guarantee that the regular placement will not fail later. It is a delicate balance. However, a strong commitment to inclusion, a willingness to think beyond a standard educational approach, and parents and school working together as equal members of a team, are factors that exert considerable influence on this balance. In chapter 8, the methodological aspects of all studies in this dissertation are discussed. Secondly, the results of the studies are linked back to the three main research topics. Thirdly, some other questions which are highly related to the research topics of this dissertation are elaborated upon, such as the importance of academic skills for people with Down syndrome, the effect of inclusive education on children with other disabilities than Down syndrome, the effect on U+2018non-disabledU+2019 children, and the relevance of staff attitude in inclusive education in general. Finally, the meaning of this studyU+2019s findings for practice is discussed.

Jaar van publicatie:2014

Toegankelijkheid:Open