Interventions and measures of social inclusion for students with extensive support needs in K-12 schools: A scoping review.

Abstract

This scoping review explores (a) how k-12 schools facilitate social inclusion, specifically for students with extensive support needs (ESN) and (b) how those intervention approaches are measured. Given the cross-disciplinary nature of the topic, the search entailed ten different databases that identified 540 articles. Eight articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The approaches used to facilitate social inclusion for students with ESN are summarized as those that involve (a) comprehensive multi-level interventions, (b) peer-mediated interventions, and (c) collaborative consultation and planning with teachers. The scoping review identified three primary constructs that assess social inclusion, namely, social interactions, participation (academic and social), and social validity of the interventions used. The scoping review underscores the complexity of the concept of social inclusion and poses a challenge to identify a unifying measure of social inclusion for students with ESN.