Addressing complex learning difficulties and disabilities (CLDD) in inclusive mainstream primary contexts – an original model for inclusive pedagogy and teacher development

This thesis explored the inclusion of children with complex learning difficulties and disabilities (CLDD) in mainstream primary schools in the United Kingdom (UK). Mainstream primary schools lack a specific and consistent theoretical framework to include children with CLDD, who are yet to be commonly recognised as a subgroup within the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system.

Grounded theory was used as a methodological approach to analyse interviews with teachers, SENDCos, learning support assistants, and questionnaires with parents and teaching assistants involved in including children with CLDD. The analysis revealed the need for a particular openness to a relatively unknown group of children in English primary schools: children with CLDD. It has drawn attention to the difficulties of adopting inclusive practices regarding children with CLDD in mainstream schools and generated a theoretical model that proposes solutions based on stakeholder perspectives.

The theoretical model proposes that a shift in mainstream stakeholder perceptions of children with CLDD and conceptions of their roles regarding those children would cause a shift in their behaviour towards children with CLDD. This would manifest in engaged practices, such as valuing collaboration with other professional stakeholders, to overcome the challenges of the mainstream educational context.

The theoretical model presents a definition of effective inclusion of children with CLDD in a mainstream context: ‘promoting the sense of belonging, engagement with peers and progress in learning of a child with CLDD’. Moreover, in two sections, the model proposes basic steps to promote the inclusion of children with CLDD, while considering the challenges of the mainstream context. Additionally, existing teaching strategies, models and forms of collaboration that can promote and model the inclusion of children with CLDD in a mainstream context are identified. The data collection was limited to 49 schools and 50 participants, but its findings are relevant nationally and internationally. The theoretical model can be adopted by future case studies in the mainstream context, such as research to assess its generalisability and to support its implementation in practice.