But yet included: effects of classmates with special needs on elementary school students’ civic-mindedness

Abstract Instilling civic-mindedness in youth is crucial for the functioning of a democratic society. Inclusive education, which involves placing students with special needs into general education classrooms, is considered a method for fostering civic-mindedness in young people. Building on existing literature, this study investigates the impact of classmates with special needs on the civic-mindedness of elementary school students. The study utilizes the quasi-random assignment of students across classrooms in South Korea to establish causal relationships. The results indicate that a higher ratio of students with special needs within a classroom negatively affects the civic-mindedness of individual students, with these effects being more pronounced in the dimension of valuing mutual assistance. Finally, we empirically infer that negative impacts on friendship and the classroom environment may contribute to these results. Based on the results, we discuss the policy implications.