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04 SES 16 C: The Role of Peer and Support Networks in Educational Inclusion
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04. Inclusive Education
Paper Exploring the Inclusiveness of Peer Social Networks for Children with Disability in Kindergartens Preparing for Transition to Primary School 1: University of Patras, Greece; 2: University of Patras, Greece; 3: University of California, San Diego Presenting Author:The inclusiveness of social networks in regular kindergartens attended by children with disability who are about to transition to a regular primary school education is the main topic of the present study. In particular, the study seeks to address the following research question: To what extent children with disability experience participation in the context of social interactions with their peers without disability in regular kindergartens as they prepare for transition to the primary school education? The concept of social participation is central to understanding and implementing inclusive education in practice. The United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities through the General Comment No4, emphasises the importance of ensuring participatory experiences for all pupils in educational and social activities to guarantee inclusive education (UN, 2016). Further, the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education (EASNIE) has identified social participation as a key indicator in monitoring and evaluating the quality of inclusive education provided to each learner (EASNIE, 2025), while also acknowledging its long-term positive impact on social inclusion within everyday communities across the lifespan (EASNIE, 2018). Within the literature, social participation has been conceptualised through several core themes, including social interactions and relationships, social contacts, friendships, and shared play activities (Koster et al., 2007). The present study adopts a social network theoretical approach to social participation for illustrating not only the quantitative characteristics of social relational ties between children with and without disability. A more qualitative aspect of children’s social networks focuses on their friendships and playing together in play activities in a kindergarten setting. According to Daly (2010), understanding the structure and nature of children’s social networks is crucial for documenting how well each child experiences social acceptance and active participation in their classroom environment. Building on this perspective, Mamas and colleagues have extended social network theory by linking it to classroom social responsiveness and inclusivity, particularly in relation to children with disability across different school levels (Mamas et al., 2019; 2020). Further, Then and Pohlmann-Rother (2023) have underscored the pivotal role of peers in making the transition from kindergarten to primary school inclusive. Within their ecological framework of inclusive transition, the social ties of children with disability to their peers contribute to their adaptivity to the school environment and moderate their participation in navigation-related processes (Then & Pohlmann-Rother, 2024). Accordingly, careful observation of the social ties of children with and without disability is required across their transition journey from kindergarten through entry into Grade 1 and beyond. Such research is particularly important in light of findings from European and international studies indicating that children with disability often experience social rejection and exclusion in both their current and subsequent school environments (e.g., Fyssa, 2015; Holliman et al., 2021; Margetts, 2014). The present study contributes to this body of research by providing longitudinal evidence on the social participation of a group of children with disability, following them from kindergarten through their transition to primary school. In the Greek context, research focusing on this area is of critical importance, given the limited empirical evidence available and the ambiguity observed in national educational policies regarding inclusive transitions. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used The present study is part of a larger project examining the psychosocial adjustment of children with disability and the inclusive processes involved in their transition from regular kindergarten to primary school. It adopts a case study design focusing on 25 six-year-old children with disability attending regular kindergarten classrooms under the auspices of the Directorate of Early Childhood and Primary Education in Achaia, Greece. Children were selected based on a diagnosis of intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, or a genetic syndrome. In addition, all participants had either undergone assessment procedures by official evaluation and counselling bodies in Achaia or had been registered in Grade 1 of a general primary school at the discretion of their parents or guardians, in accordance with Greek legislation (Law, 3699/2008). Data on social participation within peer networks will be collected at multiple time points: during kindergarten, three months after Grade 1 attendance, and at the end of the Grade 1 school year. In this presentation, we focus exclusively on the kindergarten phase. Data collection is in progress, following ethical approval from the Research Committee of the Department of Educational Sciences and Early Childhood Education at the University of Patras (Decision No. 79462/25-09-2025). A social network survey is administered to children with disability and their peers. To examine classroom-based social networks, each child receives a classroom roster and is asked to identify close friends (friendship networks) and peers they play with (play networks) using two piloted relational questions: (1) ‘Which of your classmates are your friends?’ and (2) ‘Which of your classmates do you hang out with?’. Children may indicate as many peers as they wish. To ensure accessibility, the survey includes visual supports, such as photographs of classmates provided by teachers, as well as child-friendly illustrations and plain language prompts. Each survey is completed individually outside the classroom at a time and location arranged with the kindergarten teacher. Following data collection, responses are entered and analysed using the Social Networks Analysis Toolkit (Mamas et al., 2019) to construct sociograms and examine peer social networks for each school setting. This approach allows for both quantitative and qualitative insights into social participation patterns, providing a foundation for understanding the social inclusion of children with disability within regular early childhood settings. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings Taken together, the expected outcomes of the present study suggest a nuanced pattern of social participation among children with and without disability. Consistent with previous research, children with disability are anticipated to occupy less central positions within their peer social networks. This may indicate that they are either rejected by peers or accepted only as passive participants in activities and daily routines. Beyond low levels of peer acceptance, the findings may reveal fewer reciprocal friendships of lower quality and reduced engagement in peer interactions among children with disability compared to their peers without disability. However, in highly diverse classroom contexts, patterns of social participation may vary. For instance, in classrooms located in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas or in settings with high ethnic and linguistic diversity, statistically significant differences associated with disability status may not emerge. Furthermore, differences may depend on the type of social network examined, with distinct patterns evident between friendship networks and play networks for children with disability. Overall, the study is expected to confirm that, while structural inequalities in friendship networks -especially regarding peer acceptance- remain evident, social participation is not uniformly diminished across all relational contexts. These conclusions highlight the importance of examining both quantitative and qualitative dimensions of social networks over time and across contexts, particularly during critical educational transitions, to better understand pathways toward social inclusion or marginalisation for children with disability. References Daly, A. J. (Ed.). (2010). Social network theory and educational change. Harvard Education Press. European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education. (2018). Evidence of the link between inclusive education and social inclusion: Final summary report (S. Symeonidou, Ed.). https://www.european-agency.org/sites/default/files/evidence-final-summary_en.pdf. European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education. (2025). Monitoring and evaluation systems in inclusive education policy: Focus on existing monitoring and evaluation systems and practices in five European countries (A. Lecheval & K. Todorova, Eds.). https://www.european-agency.org/sites/default/files/MESIEP_Report.pdf. Fyssa, A. (2015). Comparative assessment of strategies-practices for promoting the educational and social inclusion processes in the general kindergarten for children with special educational needs: A field research. [Doctoral dissertation, University of Thessaly]. National Archive of PhD Theses. https://doi.org/10.12681/eadd/38776. Holliman, A. J., Waldeck, D., Jay, B., Murphy, S., Atkinson, E., Collie, R. J., & Martin, A. (2021). Adaptability and social support: Examining links with psychological wellbeing among UK students and non-students. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 636520. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.636520. Koster, M., Pijl, S. J., van Houten, E. J., & Nakken, H. (2007). The social position and development of pupils with SEN in mainstream Dutch primary schools. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 22(1), 31–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856250601082265. Law 3699/2008. Special education of people with disabilities or special educational needs. Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic, 199(A). (in Greek) Mamas, C., Schaelli, G. H., Daly, A. J., Navarro, H. R., & Trisokka, L. (2019). Employing social network analysis to examine the social participation of students identified as having special educational needs and disabilities. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 67(4), 393–408. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2019.1614153. Mamas, C., Bjorklund, P., Jr., Daly, A. J., & Moukarzel, S. (2020). Friendship and support networks among students with disabilities in middle school. International Journal of Educational Research, 103,101608. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101608. Margetts, K. (2014). Transition and adjustment to school. In B. Perry, S. Dockett, & P. Petriwskyj (Eds.), Transitions to school - International research, policy and practice (pp. 75–87). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7350-9_6. Then, D., & Pohlmann-Rother, S. (2023). Transition to formal schooling of children with disabilities: A systematic review. Educational Research Review, 38, 100492. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100492. Then, D., & Pohlmann-Rother, S. (2024). Adaptivity in the inclusive transition to school. Frontiers in Education, 8, 1304918. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1304918. United Nations. (2016). General comment No. 4: Article 24: Right to inclusive education. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c947474.html. 04. Inclusive Education
Paper Meaningful Networks for Fostering Newly Arrived Migrant Students’ Learning and Sense of Belonging 1: University of Jyväskylä, Finland; 2: Tampere University, Finland Presenting Author:Increasing migration within Europe calls for education systems to be prepared to address the needs of newly arrived migrant students. When arriving to a new country, students face the expectations of learning a new language and adapting to a new cultural and educational environment, while simultaneously dealing with complex emotional issues and separation from their previous life (Björklund, 2015; Ojha et al., 2024). The challenges can be specifically intense for students migrating as teenagers who are also going through the age-related processes and emotional turbulence (Crosnoe and Johnson 2011). While migrant students constitute a heterogeneous group characterised by diverse identities and experiences (Conti, 2025), many of them share the challenges of, for example, linguistic barriers, lack of sense of belonging, and forming friendships with their non-migrant peers (e.g. Kaukko et al., 2022; OECD, 2023). Supporting new arrivals’ learning and integration requires school culture and guidelines that promote cultural and language awareness and social justice (Hajisoteriou et al., 2018; Manninen et al., 2022). Moreover, previous research has established that social networks, such as teacher and peer relationships, have an important role in helping the students to overcome their challenges and feel more included in the school community (Bešic et al., 2020; Bogossian, 2025; for an overview of research on relationship building in European schools, see Romey et al., 2025). This study examines newly arrived migrant students’ depictions of networks they found meaningful when transitioning from preparatory education to basic education in Finland. In the Finnish education system, new arrivals usually attend preparatory education classes for a year before fully transitioning to basic education with other students (Venäläinen et al., 2022). While in preparatory education all students have arrived recently and share the experience of adapting to a new place and learning a new language, after transitioning the students are placed among their peers in basic education and some of the initial support is left behind. It is important to examine the challenges and needs that students experience during this transition phase, as well as the factors that enable a successful transition from preparatory education to basic education. However, for the time being, research on the transition phase remains scarce. Moreover, previous research on migrant students’ experiences has largely focused on challenges, and apart from some exceptions (e.g. Björklund, 2015; Bogossian, 2025), the examination of successful experiences and practices has remained limited. This study aims at responding to these gaps by focusing on newly arrived migrant students’ experiences on what has been helpful for them during the transition. The study addresses this issue by focusing on how newly arrived migrant students have found various social networks (peer relationships, home-school relationship, teacher-student relationship, leisure time relationships) supportive in learning and fostering a sense of belonging. The research questions are as follows: 1) How do newly arrived migrant students narrate the social networks that they consider meaningful during their transition from preparatory education to basic education? 2) How do the students portray the ways in which their social networks support their learning and sense of belonging? This study is part of a mixed-method research project Pathways (funded by Research Council of Finland, 2025-2029) that focuses on newly arrived migrant students’ trajectories during and after transitioning from preparatory education to basic education or upper secondary education. The aim of the research project is to observe what kind of conditions and networks may support new arrivals in integrating into the society. As a follow-up to an earlier longitudinal, mixed-method research project VOITTO (funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture, 2023-2025), Pathways builds upon previously collected data and follows certain participants of the earlier research project. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used This study adopts a qualitative research design that focuses on the perspectives of 30 newly arrived migrant students (aged 15–17). All students have also participated in our earlier research project VOITTO. The students have previously been attending preparatory education and have since transitioned to basic education. The data consists of ecomaps drawn by and interviews with the students. In the ecomaps the students write down family members, friends, and authorities they have considered meaningful and important for them during the time of preparatory education and the following transition to basic education. The ecomaps are further discussed with each participant in individual semi-structured interviews, where they elaborate how the different networks have supported them during their educational and social pathways. In the interviews the discussions focus on the students’ learning, sense of belonging and social relations. In the interviews both the researcher and the students are understood as participating in the construction of meaning and narrative (Mishler, 1986). The data are analysed using a narrative analysis method (Mishler, 1986; Polkinghorne, 1995). Narrative analysis enables an examination of how students make sense of their experiences and how their stories are shaped by the social, cultural and institutional contexts in which they are told. Our aim is to develop explanatory narratives from the interview data (Polkinghorne, 1995) that illustrate both individual trajectories and shared patterns across the participants’ accounts. Narrative analysis allows us to attend to students’ lived experiences while situating them within the broader school community and its relational networks. The ecomaps and interviews are analysed at two analytical levels. First, each interview and ecomap is examined as an individual narrative, enabling a detailed exploration of participants’ specific situations, identities, and meaning-making processes. Second, the data are analysed across interviews to identify narrative patterns, recurrent themes and shared storylines. This dual-level approach aligns with recent work emphasising narrative practices, identity navigation and positioning in storytelling (Bamberg, 2020). After an initial familiarisation with the dataset, the transcripts are segmented into narrative units to construct core narratives both within individual cases and across the dataset, reflecting contemporary applications of narrative analysis in qualitative research (e.g. Lima & Ristum, 2025). As the analysis is still ongoing, the final results are under development. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings As a result of the analysis the interviews and ecomaps will paint a picture of newly arrived migrant students’ narratives of supportive social networks during preparatory education and the transition to basic education. They will describe who the students have considered helpful and what kind of support has helped them thrive socially and academically. The stories can be evident both at the level of individual interviews and across the entire data set. Preliminary findings indicate that peer relationships and student-teacher relationship have been particularly meaningful for the students. This study can contribute to better understanding the ways in which newly arrived migrant students could be supported in their integration into the school community and further into society. It enables migrant youth to describe the people, environments, and support measures they find meaningful. Moreover, the stories may provide further insights into how newly arrived migrant students form new relationships and maintain relationships with people from their home countries. The study can shed light on how the organisational cultures, guidelines, and practices in schools could be developed to better address the needs of newly arrived migrant students in relation to learning and sense of belonging. References Bamberg, M. (2022). Narrative Analysis: An integrative approach — Small stories and narrative practices. In M. Järvinen & N. Mik-Meyer (Eds.) Qualitative Analysis. Eight Approaches for the Social Sciences (pp. 243–265). SAGE. Bešic, E., Gasteiger-Klicpera, B., Buchart, C., Hafner, J. & Stefitz, E. (2020). Refugee students’ perspectives on inclusive and exclusive school experiences in Austria. International Journal of Psychology 55(5), 723–732. Björklund, K. (2015). Unaccompanied refugee minors in Finland. Challenges and good practices in a Nordic context. Institute of Migration. Bogossian, T. (2025). Building inclusive school climates: Strategies for supporting migrant children’s sense of belonging. European Educational Research Journal EERJ. Conti, L. (2025). Intercultural education: recalibrating meanings, objectives, and practices. Intercultural Education 36(4), 418–236. Crosnoe, R. & Johnson, M. K. (2011). Research on Adolescence in the Twenty-First Century. Annual Review of Sociology 37, 439–460. Hajisoteriou, C., Karousiou, C. & Angelides, P. (2018). Successful components of school improvement in culturally diverse schools. School Effectiveness and School Improvement 29(1), 91–112. Kaukko, M., Alisaari, J., Heikkola, L. M., & Haswell, N. (2022). Migrant-Background Student Experiences of Facing and Overcoming Difficulties in Finnish Comprehensive Schools. Education Sciences 12(7), 450. Lima, L. S. & Ristum, M. (2025). Narrative Analysis: Methodological Contributions to Qualitative Research in Developmental Psychology. Trends in Psychology. Manninen, E., Hökkä, P., Tarnanen, M. & Vähäsantanen, K. (2022). Staff Members’ Professional Agency within the Staff Community and the Education Policies: Supporting Integration in Multicultural and Multilingual School Communities. Education Sciences 12(12), 900. Mishler, E. G. (1986). Research Interviewing: Context and Narrative. Harvard University Press. OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). 2023. PISA 2022 Results (Volume I). The State of Learning and Equity in Education. PISA, OECD Publishing. Ojha, S., Thapa, S. & Thapa, S. B. (2024). Mental health problems among Syrian refugees in Nordic countries: a systematic review. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry 78(7), 561–569. Polkinghorne, D. E. (1995). “Narrative Configuration in Qualitative Analysis.” International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education 8 (1): 5–23. Romey, L. V. S., Varis, S., Pakarinen, E., & Mankki, V. (2025). Relationship building in culturally diverse European classrooms - a scoping review. Multicultural education review 17(3), 330–349. Venäläinen, S., Laimi, T., Seppälä, S., Vuojus, T., Viitala, M., Ahlholm, M., Latomaa, S., Mård-Miettinen, K., Nirkkonen, M., Huhtanen, M. & Metsämuuronen, J. (2022). Kielellisiä taitoja ja koulunkäyntivalmiuksia. Valmistavan opetuksen ja oman äidinkielen opetuksen tila ja vaikuttavuus -arviointi. Julkaisu 19:2022. Karvi. | ||