The goal of the study was to investigate the outcomes of an intervention programme regarding social interaction of four pupils with intellectual disabilities with their typically developing peers. The programme aimed at enhancing social inclusion of pupils with intellectual disabilities and consisted in (1) the implementation of structured activities designed to promote emotion regulation and appropriate expression, self‐confidence and cooperation, and (2) participation of the target pupils in social activities in the neighbourhood, with the active involvement of school staff members. Data were collected by means of observations, teachers’ reflective journals and semi‐structured interviews with the school staff members and the pupils themselves. Findings revealed significant increases in target pupils’ social interactions with their peers inside and outside the school setting, as well as positive changes in general education pupils’ attitudes, both during and upon the completion of the programme. Factors which contributed to the above‐mentioned changes are discussed in relation to the implications of the study.

Students’ attitudes towards peers with intellectual disabilities are mostly negative, and negative attitudes appear more among secondary education students than any other age group. Social coexistence programmes are intervention programmes implemented by school psychologists to manage and change negative attitudes and enforce social interaction with students with disabilities. The research sample consisted of 193 public high school students in Greece who were given the Chedoke–McMaster Attitudes Toward Children with Handicaps (CATCH) Scale. The study aimed to explore whether there is a change in the attitudes of high school students towards peers with intellectual disabilities after participation in a social coexistence programme. The findings showed that students who participated in the programme had more positive attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities after the completion of the programme. The above findings confirm the research on the possibility of changing attitudes of secondary school students towards peers with disabilities and reinforce the need for the systematic development of social coexistence programmes for the entire student population. Future research should focus on the benefits of students with disabilities from their participation in social coexistence programmes.

Teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education of typically developing and non-typically developing students are a key factor for effective school psychological support, smooth attendance of all students and seamless operation of the classroom. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the views of primary education teachers in schools of Northern Greece regarding the factors that shape their attitudes and influence their participation in promoting the joint education of disabled and non-disabled students. The research sample consisted of 48 primary school teachers in the area. The Teacher Attitudes Toward Inclusion Scale (TATIS) questionnaire was adapted and administered. The results of the study show that teachers who have been involved in inclusive education processes in the past and evaluate their participation as positive for themselves and their students, develop and establish more positive attitudes regarding the usefulness of inclusive education programmes compared to teachers who either have no positive experiences from participating in the education of students with disabilities in the general classroom or have never taught non-typically developing students. In conclusion, the organised and methodologically envisaged development of inclusive education increases the efficiency of teachers and promotes a positive learning climate in the classroom. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0726/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Increasing social and emotional development of primary school students with learning difficulties promotes equal participation in educational processes at all levels of their education. Social coexistence programmes at all school levels empower all students both emotionally and socially by promoting solidarity and creatively enhancing the learning environment. The aim of this research was for the students with learning difficulties and the teachers to evaluate a social coexistence programme implemented in a Greek Primary School. The program involved 22 students in a 4th-grade class, 4 of whom had been diagnosed with learning difficulties, and 4 members who are scientific and teaching staff of the school. In order to evaluate the actions of the programme, the multimethodological approach was applied by using a sociometric tool and a logbook, and by conducting semi-structured interviews. The research results showed that the social interaction of students with learning disabilities with their peers increased significantly after the completion of our intervention. The development of a collaborative culture in school was cited as a decisive factor for the effective implementation of social coexistence programmes by the participating adults. The results are discussed in the context of implementing similar interventions in more classes by having more students and members of the teaching staff participating as well.

<p>Formally, inclusive education is part of the primary policies in the Greek educational system. However, pupils with intellectual disabilities still attend special schools and their socialization is mainly monitored through the implementation of social co-existence programs in the school setting. The present study aimed to explore the outcomes of a social co-existence program that was implemented in two co-located schools, a general education elementary school and a special education elementary school. Semi-structured interviews with the special education elementary school pupils were used for pre- and post-intervention assessments. Qualitative analyses of the data revealed important differentiations in the ways pupils with intellectual disabilities understood a) their social interaction with typically developing peers and b) acceptance by peers. In fact, the pupils with intellectual disabilities consistently acknowledged that participation in the social co-existence program enhanced their social interactions and improved acceptance by peer.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0683/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>