The effect of students’ class placement and support needs on students’ social inclusion in Finland

Despite students’ experiences are essential in inclusive education, they have received limited attention within the research. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of class placement and support needs on students’ experiences of social inclusion. Social inclusion was measured through the sense of belonging and teacher acceptance. Furthermore, we studied the interrelation of teacher acceptance and sense of belonging. Sense of belonging and teacher acceptance emphasises for students that they are accepted for who one is. In Finland, 9606 students from lower secondary school took part in the DigiVOO-project, which provided data for this study. The survey data were analysed using structural equation modelling. The results showed that sense of belonging and teacher acceptance were the highest for those students who studied in general class and who had no support needs. Sense of belonging and teacher acceptance were lower if student was placed in a special class or if student had support needs. The need for support reduced students’ social inclusion. Teacher acceptance predicted students’ sense of belonging, especially if student was in special class or had needs for special support. The results underline that especially students who have special needs benefit from teacher acceptance.