Exploring the experiences of inclusion for children and young people with Down’s Syndrome, in mainstream education, using the Mosaic Approach.

McLean, Shaunna (2025) Exploring the experiences of inclusion for children and young people with Down’s Syndrome, in mainstream education, using the Mosaic Approach. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Although there are many barriers and facilitators to implementing inclusion, the experience of inclusion is dependent on one’s own circumstances and inclusion is thus not a one size fits all concept. Despite this, literature relating to the inclusion of children and young people with SEND has been dominated by the views of parents and school staff. In addition, the voices of individuals with Down’s Syndrome are rarely heard in research. As such, the current study aims to give children and young people with Down’s Syndrome a platform to share and explore their experiences of inclusion. Seven participants, aged nine to fifteen, took part in the study using a Mosaic Approach methodology, utilising photographs, semi-structured interviews and observations as data collection tools. Data was analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2022) reflexive thematic analysis to reveal themes, relating to participation, relationships, adjustments to the school day and Down’s Syndrome awareness. Overall, the data suggested that participants were academically and socially included within school, to a degree that allowed them to experience feelings of relatedness and success. In addition, an autoethnographic approach was used to examine whether the Mosaic Approach was an accessible and flexible tool for supporting children and young people with Down’s Syndrome to express their experiences and enabling these experiences to be understood. The findings of the study are discussed in relation to the existing literature, with consideration of the implications for the practice of educational psychologists.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education and Lifelong Learning
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	07 Oct 2025 08:50
Last Modified:	07 Oct 2025 08:50
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/100655
DOI:

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