The general aim of this project was to examine the social interactions, dynamics and friendships of all students, with an emphasis on those identified as having special educational needs, in mainstream primary schools. The Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Europe (IE2) project sought to understand how inclusive education is being implemented across three countries (US, UK, Cyprus) and, in doing so, to contribute to the debate on how to create a more inclusive European society by providing rigorous research evidence and recommendations. Additionally, the second main objective of the project was to develop a social network analysis toolkit for schools to enable practitioners to understand the social dynamics, friendship patterns and other social relationships within their settings. The third objective was to begin developing a platform for visualizing large datasets within inclusive and special education in Europe.
Creating a more inclusive and welcoming educational system is key in addressing the numerous challenges that the modern European and global societies are facing. Student populations are increasingly diverse and highly mobile, with distinct needs and multiple identities. In particular, students identified as having special educational needs and disabilities are at higher risk of social isolation and exclusion. It is imperative that those risks are identified and dealt with as early as possible so these students can achieve their full potential and without the risk of isolation and segregation. Understanding how children interact and form friendships has various wider implications into how society operates in general. Tackling social exclusion and discrimination at the school/educational level is critical in our attempt to reduce inequalities and transform society. Therefore, to serve the best interests of these and all students, a more inclusive education system is urgently needed. Our project has identified a number of ways that may contribute to how we build a more inclusive, responsive and welcoming educational system that provides opportunities for success to all of its members. For example, educators expressed the urgent need for more tools to be provided to them, such as the toolkit, to enable them to understand and transform their everyday practice. They also highlighted the important role of education researchers working with them to improve practice.
