Inclusion

This article focuses on the factors that enable or limit smooth transitions across educational and employment sectors. Smooth transitions have an impact on the element of continuity on the lived experiences of disabled students and other stakeholders. The mixed-methods study explored the experience of inclusive education of disabled students with physical and sensorial disabilities in further and higher education in Malta. In this paper I reflect on the data obtained from one-time semi-structured interviews with disabled young people that have attended or were attending further and higher education at the time of data collection. The participants’ reflections provided examples of how the quality of the lived experiences of inclusive education influences identity and academic development throughout their educational journey. The dynamics within and across educational institutions influence the extent disabled students develop agency, empowerment and self-advocacy. A collaborative approach among stakeholders or the lack of it has an impact on disabled students to develop one’s full learning potential and find employment. The reflections signify that inclusive education is not just a matter of having one’s right met, but its short-term and long-term effectiveness is highly dependent on the quality of the students’ experiential continuum within the educational institutions.

Italians represent the largest community of foreign learners in our schools. In this paper we provide some background regarding the recent migration of Italians to Malta and we present and discuss language-related issues which affect the inclusion of learners in local schools. We refer to data provided by educators who responded to a questionnaire and to semi-structured interviews included in a Master in Teaching and Learning dissertation (Palazzo, 2020). Our analysis reveals that the inclusion of Italian learners is conditioned by their levels of competence in Maltese and English, and that this could determine their active participation in class, even during lessons of Italian itself. Although their experience in Maltese schools is generally positive, there are instances where adapting to a new educational system is the cause of demotivation which leads to absenteeism, as well as other cases where they are victims of bullying. Furthermore, some Italian learners show signs of distancing from their mother tongue, although many of them reveal a sense of pride towards their cultural heritage.

The goal of the study was to delve into the self- and community perceptions of the Learning Support Educators (LSEs) and their role in promoting inclusion. A qualitative study was carried out, in which ten participants, five males and five females, were selected to share their experience as LSEs. The participants had different levels of experience and training, and had diverse school backgrounds. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used in this research. In-depth semi-structured interviews were utilized to collect data. The analysis yielded twelve themes: the experience of the participants’ first year in their role; the circumstances that led them to choosing the role; the complex duty roles LSEs take on which differ greatly from the job description outlined in policy documents; segregation, powerlessness and gender stereotyping that come with the role; the dynamics of the school community and the role that LSEs have within this community, as well as their relationship with other staff members, namely teachers, SMT and the school INCO; the issue of disconnectedness from, as well as belongingness to the school; the perception of the Maltese community of LSEs; their own relationship to the role; barriers to inclusion, along with the factors that make a school inclusive; and good practice in the field. The last-mentioned theme was developed to recommend the way forward. A number of recommendations were suggested, namely: the implementation of a structured training programme; the opportunity to specialise in specific areas of disability; the granting of a warrant; the opportunity to work in close collaboration with teachers and the possibility of being trained together to improve practice for both parties; and regular training opportunities and reviewing to ensure a high level of professional practice. In the final analysis, this study uncovers the lack of respect and esteem that LSEs encounter, while exposing LSEs as an underutilised resource, whose efforts often go unrecognised.