Social and Emotional Competence of Students With Disability In High And Poor Inclusive Quality Classes 9th International conference of the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences University of Zagreb

The aim of this research is to explore the differences in social and emotional competence between students with disability in high and poor quality of inclusion primary schools. Research was carried out on the: a) sample of primary school teachers selected on the base of high/poor inclusion quality (N=17) ; b) sample of students in high/poor inclusion quality classes (N=307) which include students with disability (N= 28) and typical students (N=279) of both sexes, attending the third primary school grades in Zagreb, and Zagreb County. After determination of high/poor inclusion quality, primary schools’ teachers, and their students evaluated social and emotional competence with: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ ; Goodman et al., 2010), Child Interaction Scale (Crick & Grotpeter, 1995 ; Crick, 1996), Learning Behaviour Scale (Bierman, Domitrovich et al., 2008), School Readiness Questionnaire (Bierman, Domitrovich et al., 2008), Peer Relations Questionnaire (Ladd & Profiler, 1996), Contentment with socializing at school (Žic Ralić, 2001) and Questionnaire on child tolerance toward other children (Cvitković, Wagner Jakab, 2008). Results show no statistically significant differences between social and emotional competence of students with disability in high and poor inclusive quality classes. A more detailed analysis discovered no statistically significant differences in high inclusive quality classes between students with disabilities and typical students in conduct problems, relational aggression and peer relations. Contrary, in poor inclusive quality classes, students with disability in relation to typical students show statistically significant more problems in all measures of social and emotional competence, except in relational aggression. This study highlights the need to increase attention of teachers and school experts on social and emotional competence of students with disability in inclusive classes. The high inclusive quality classes seem to have better impact on social and emotional competence of students with disability. ERFCON2017.0190