The benefits of inclusive education: a systematic review of student achievement in secondary schools

Despite efforts to increase inclusion in education, little research exists on its impact at the lower secondary level (ages 11–17). This paper presents a systematic review of the literature on the academic achievement of secondary school students with special educational needs (SEN) and their peers in inclusive education. A search of publications in English, French, and German on seven databases (ERIC, PsychInfo, PsychArticles, SCOPUS, Web of Science, CAIRN, FIS) identified 21 eligible studies. The results reveal that students with SEN have higher achievement and make more academic progress in inclusive settings. Most studies found that students without SEN are not disadvantaged by inclusive settings, although the proportion of students with SEN in a class seems to be important. It is possible that the results reflect a placement effect, where students with less severe special educational needs are more likely to be placed in inclusive settings. More research is needed to increase knowledge of the effects of inclusive education on secondary students with and without SEN.