Step by Step:Promoting the Social Participation of Kindergarten Students with Disabilities

Inclusive education aims for equal academic and social opportunities for students with disabilities. Unfortunately, in practice, the social participation of these students lags behind, partly due to negative attitudes from classmates. The objective of this dissertation was to develop a theoretically underpinned and socially valid educational intervention to enhance the social participation of young students with disabilities and improve the attitudes of their peers.To achieve this goal, the intervention "Everyone Belongs!" was (further) developed. This intervention combines reading picture books about disabilities and subsequent group discussions with cooperative learning groups. “Everyone belongs!” is theoretically embedded in the Contact Theory, which deems both contact and information essential for promoting social participation. The utility of these intervention components in inclusive education was affirmed through a systematic literature review.In the developmental phase, a social validity assessment indicated that kindergarten teachers were predominantly positive about "Everyone Belongs!". They also suggested some improvements such as including a preparatory training for teachers. Following adjustments, the effects were examined. The quasi-experimental effect study revealed that 30% of the students with disabilities significantly increased social playtime post-intervention, compared to 12.5% in the control group. While no positive effects were found regarding acceptance or self-declared friendships by peers, "Everyone Belongs!" did have a softening effect on their attitudes. The dissertation confirms the applicability of the Contact Theory in inclusive education and advocates for the permanent integration of such interventions into the curriculum

Step by Step:Promoting the Social Participation of Kindergarten Students with Disabilities

Inclusive education aims for equal academic and social opportunities for students with disabilities. Unfortunately, in practice, the social participation of these students lags behind, partly due to negative attitudes from classmates. The objective of this dissertation was to develop a theoretically underpinned and socially valid educational intervention to enhance the social participation of young students with disabilities and improve the attitudes of their peers.To achieve this goal, the intervention "Everyone Belongs!" was (further) developed. This intervention combines reading picture books about disabilities and subsequent group discussions with cooperative learning groups. “Everyone belongs!” is theoretically embedded in the Contact Theory, which deems both contact and information essential for promoting social participation. The utility of these intervention components in inclusive education was affirmed through a systematic literature review.In the developmental phase, a social validity assessment indicated that kindergarten teachers were predominantly positive about "Everyone Belongs!". They also suggested some improvements such as including a preparatory training for teachers. Following adjustments, the effects were examined. The quasi-experimental effect study revealed that 30% of the students with disabilities significantly increased social playtime post-intervention, compared to 12.5% in the control group. While no positive effects were found regarding acceptance or self-declared friendships by peers, "Everyone Belongs!" did have a softening effect on their attitudes. The dissertation confirms the applicability of the Contact Theory in inclusive education and advocates for the permanent integration of such interventions into the curriculum

Step by Step:Promoting the Social Participation of Kindergarten Students with Disabilities

Inclusive education aims for equal academic and social opportunities for students with disabilities. Unfortunately, in practice, the social participation of these students lags behind, partly due to negative attitudes from classmates. The objective of this dissertation was to develop a theoretically underpinned and socially valid educational intervention to enhance the social participation of young students with disabilities and improve the attitudes of their peers.To achieve this goal, the intervention "Everyone Belongs!" was (further) developed. This intervention combines reading picture books about disabilities and subsequent group discussions with cooperative learning groups. “Everyone belongs!” is theoretically embedded in the Contact Theory, which deems both contact and information essential for promoting social participation. The utility of these intervention components in inclusive education was affirmed through a systematic literature review.In the developmental phase, a social validity assessment indicated that kindergarten teachers were predominantly positive about "Everyone Belongs!". They also suggested some improvements such as including a preparatory training for teachers. Following adjustments, the effects were examined. The quasi-experimental effect study revealed that 30% of the students with disabilities significantly increased social playtime post-intervention, compared to 12.5% in the control group. While no positive effects were found regarding acceptance or self-declared friendships by peers, "Everyone Belongs!" did have a softening effect on their attitudes. The dissertation confirms the applicability of the Contact Theory in inclusive education and advocates for the permanent integration of such interventions into the curriculum

Step by Step:Promoting the Social Participation of Kindergarten Students with Disabilities

Inclusive education aims for equal academic and social opportunities for students with disabilities. Unfortunately, in practice, the social participation of these students lags behind, partly due to negative attitudes from classmates. The objective of this dissertation was to develop a theoretically underpinned and socially valid educational intervention to enhance the social participation of young students with disabilities and improve the attitudes of their peers.To achieve this goal, the intervention "Everyone Belongs!" was (further) developed. This intervention combines reading picture books about disabilities and subsequent group discussions with cooperative learning groups. “Everyone belongs!” is theoretically embedded in the Contact Theory, which deems both contact and information essential for promoting social participation. The utility of these intervention components in inclusive education was affirmed through a systematic literature review.In the developmental phase, a social validity assessment indicated that kindergarten teachers were predominantly positive about "Everyone Belongs!". They also suggested some improvements such as including a preparatory training for teachers. Following adjustments, the effects were examined. The quasi-experimental effect study revealed that 30% of the students with disabilities significantly increased social playtime post-intervention, compared to 12.5% in the control group. While no positive effects were found regarding acceptance or self-declared friendships by peers, "Everyone Belongs!" did have a softening effect on their attitudes. The dissertation confirms the applicability of the Contact Theory in inclusive education and advocates for the permanent integration of such interventions into the curriculum

Step by Step:Promoting the Social Participation of Kindergarten Students with Disabilities

Inclusive education aims for equal academic and social opportunities for students with disabilities. Unfortunately, in practice, the social participation of these students lags behind, partly due to negative attitudes from classmates. The objective of this dissertation was to develop a theoretically underpinned and socially valid educational intervention to enhance the social participation of young students with disabilities and improve the attitudes of their peers.To achieve this goal, the intervention "Everyone Belongs!" was (further) developed. This intervention combines reading picture books about disabilities and subsequent group discussions with cooperative learning groups. “Everyone belongs!” is theoretically embedded in the Contact Theory, which deems both contact and information essential for promoting social participation. The utility of these intervention components in inclusive education was affirmed through a systematic literature review.In the developmental phase, a social validity assessment indicated that kindergarten teachers were predominantly positive about "Everyone Belongs!". They also suggested some improvements such as including a preparatory training for teachers. Following adjustments, the effects were examined. The quasi-experimental effect study revealed that 30% of the students with disabilities significantly increased social playtime post-intervention, compared to 12.5% in the control group. While no positive effects were found regarding acceptance or self-declared friendships by peers, "Everyone Belongs!" did have a softening effect on their attitudes. The dissertation confirms the applicability of the Contact Theory in inclusive education and advocates for the permanent integration of such interventions into the curriculum

Applying the Contact Theory in Inclusive Education:A Systematic Review on the Impact of Contact and Information on the Social Participation of Students With Disabilities

The social participation of students with disabilities in general education is lagging behind and negative peer attitudes are often mentioned as the main barrier. Contact Theory can serve as a rationale for interventions that aim to promote positive attitudes and thereby also the social participation of students with disabilities. This review aims to elucidate to what extent the intervention components contact and information are related to both the attitudes of typically developing peers and the social participation of students with disabilities. The results indicate that interventions combining contact and information are associated with more positive attitudes and one theme of social participation (i.e., interactions). It was, surprisingly, not possible to study the mediating role of peer attitudes as no studies addressed this. In sum, Contact Theory can be validated in primary inclusive education regarding typically developing students' attitudes, but only partially regarding the social participation of students with disabilities