Innovative Learning Environments and Spaces of Belonging for Students with Disability in Mainstream Settings

In many schools across Australasia, single-cell classrooms have been replaced by 'innovative learning environments' (ILEs). This redesign of education spaces has had pedagogical and physical ramifications for students and teachers. This qualitative study, conducted in New Zealand and Australia, investigated how students with disability responded to ILE design. Students with disabilities have, in traditional classrooms, often been reported to be isolated and marginalised. This study sought to examine if the ILE design in its material, pedagogical and relational space supported students with disability in developing a sense of belonging at their schools. The analysis of interview data utilised the Spaces of Belonging Framework. Findings highlight that belonging was facilitated for students with disabilities across all three domains of the Framework. Skilful ILE design can promote the inclusion of students with disability and support academic and social outcomes. This enables a sense of connectedness to the school environment.