Module 1: Instructional Planning and Strategies
Levels of Participation
“Being part of the group and having an active role in the group activity increases feelings of participation and inclusion for students with disabilities”
Kramer et al., 2012
When Kramer et al (2012) reviewed multiple research studies, they identified four distinct levels of participation:
- Doing what everyone else is doing
- Fringe participation
- Watching and waiting
- Doing something different
Doing what everyone else is doing with or without adaptations was associated with the greatest feelings of belonging, contribution, and inclusion. Fringe participation is a term that describes when the student participates in a small part of an activity. Fringe participation provides fewer opportunities for authentic interaction than doing what everyone else is doing but was still preferred over participating in activities alone or not at all.
Students reported feelings of frustration and exclusion when required to wait or watch others. Doing something different resulted in the strongest feelings of exclusion.