An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to Examine the Impact of Classroom Inclusion on Elementary School Students

Classroom inclusion serves as the most discussed service delivery model in the debate over the most appropriate way to provide education for students with disabilities. Integrating students with disabilities with nondisabled peers may increase attitudes of acceptance, but the literature also indicates that placement alone does not yield an increase in interaction between these two groups of peers (Brinker & Thorpe, 1986 Brinker, R. P. and Thorpe, M. E. 1986. Features of integrated educational ecologies that predict social behavior among severely mentally retarded and non-retarded students.. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 91: 150–159. [PubMed] , [Google Scholar]; Fryexe & Kennedy, 1995; Kennedy, Shulka, & Fryxell, 1997 Kennedy, C. H., Shulka, S. and Fryxell, D. 1997. Comparing the effects of educational placement on the social relationships of intermediate school students with severe disabilities.. Exceptional Children, 64(1): 31–48. [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). This study investigated the impact of classroom inclusion on nondisabled students. Using survey research methods and guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (Aizen, I. [1985]. From intentions to actions: A theory of planned behavior. In J. Kuhl & J. Beckman [Eds.], Action-control: From cognition to behavior [pp. 11–39]. Heidelberg: Springer), 593 responses were obtained from a convenience sample of 936 third, fourth, and fifth grade students and their parents from 52 classrooms spread across six different schools. Survey results were also collected from these students' parents and their teachers and used to add a richer depth to the data analysis. Implications for policy and practice are drawn. Limitations and recommendations for future research are also indicated.