Due to the incipient development towards inclusive education, the European school system is facing huge changes. Several international studies suggest that the initial goal of social acceptance of children with special educational needs is less satisfactorily put into practice than intended. In a meta-analysis across 152 studies, Kavale & Forness (1996) showed significant differences in peer acceptance (ES = .815) between children with and without special educational needs (SEN). Although integrative settings provide positive experiences and friendships between children with and without SEN, children with SEN have fewer friends and are more often disliked in integration classes (Huber & Wilbert, 2012; Pijl & Frostad, 2010; Schwab, submitted). Nevertheless, the aim of inclusion not only consists of placing all children within the same class, but also to foster social participation of persons with and without disabilities (Avramidis, 2010). One of the unresolved questions of the inclusion debate focusses on the key factors that lead to a fair social acceptance for students with SEN in inclusive classroom settings. New research presented in this symposium tries to shed more light on the issue of social acceptance. Interestingly, each presentation makes use of a different methodical approach to investigate the question of social acceptance in school.

The first presentation is focusing on a general perspective on social participation. The project concentrates on the social contact theory, which predicts that the social interaction between members of different reference groups leads to less social distance towards members of an “opposite” group. Using implicit social distance measurements, the study primarily investigates whether regular social contact with children with handicaps or a migration background generally influences feelings of social distance towards these children. About 580 students (3^rd and 4^th grade) from Germany, Austria and Switzerland accomplished a computer task where a picture of four virtual students (two disabled students, one student with an obvious migration background and one control students) are shown. Additional information was given for each of the students and social distance towards the virtual students was measured by a sociometric question. It is expected, that more and regular contact to handicapped children is leading to more general openness towards students with disabilities.

In contrast to the first presentation the following two research projects give a more in-depth insight in reasons and key factors for social in- and exclusion. Using the method of social network analysis (SNA) the second presentation identifies the sociometric positions of 205 students with and without SEN, aged from eight to ten years. Furthermore, the academic achievement of these children is assessed. In a second step, semi-structured interviews with students and teachers are conducted in order to gain new information about factors that lead to social and academic inclusion in school.

The third presentation also aims at isolating factors that lead to more social inclusion in school. In contrast to the first presentation, this research group interviews a small group of 10 students with SEN (grade 8 to grade 10) who attended a laboratory school in Bielefeld (Germany) with a long tradition and comprehensive experiences in inclusive education.  Interviews were evaluated with structuring qualitative content analyses. In a second step, a cross case evaluation (Kelle & Klein 2010) is realized.

In summary, the symposium offers different perspectives on measurements for social participation (SNA, sociometric techniques, social distance measurement) and derives key factors for social inclusion from quantitative and qualitative data. The discussant is asked to bring these different perspectives together and to derive indications for everyday school life and future research.

Avramidis, E. (2010). Social relationships of pupils with special educational needs in the mainstream primary class: peer group membership and peer‐assessed social behaviour. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 25 (4), 413-429. Huber, C. & Wilbert, J. (2012). Soziale Ausgrenzung von Schülern mit sonderpädagogischem Förderbedarf und niedrigen Schulleistungen im gemeinsamen Unterricht. In: Empirische Sonderpädagogik, 2, 147-165. Kavale, K. A. & Forness, S. R. (May, 1996). Social skill deficits and learning disabilities: A meta-analysis. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 29 (3), 226-237. Pijl, P. & Frostad, P. (2010). Peer Acceptance and Self-Concept of Students with Disabilities in Regular Education. In: European Journal of Special Needs Education 1 (25), 93-105.