“Certainly they are different from us” : A qualitative study with pedagogues about perseptions, norms and categorizations of childrens with intellectual disabilities

The purpose of this study is to examine whether pedagogues, in their daily work with children with intellectual disabilities, have perceptions based on earlier work experience with for instance children with average intelligence and also if the perceptions, norms and categorizations of society affect the school environment in which children with intellectual disabilities exist.The study, which focuses on the pedagogues work experience of childrens with intellectual disabilities, was carried out by interviewing four pedagogues in a qualitative manner. The study was analyzed through the theoretical framework of social constructivism. Terms used in the study are: intellectual disability, inclusion, exclusion, integration, perception, categorization, normality, anomaly, norm criticism, power, the competent child and expectation.The results show that the pedagogues has his or her own perceptions about children with intellectual disabilities. The pedagogues’ own use of language affects how perceptions, norms and categorizations are conveyed to the pupils. They also points to their insufficient knowledge of intellectual disabilities. This lack of knowledge also affects how the pedagogues view the institutional striving towards student inclusion in a “school for everyone.” The study also shows that a norm critical perspective is preferable as it allows for perceptions, norms and categorizations to be made visible. The study showed that, in order to avoid unfavorable categorizations and norms, a communicative environment is needed in order to create an understanding in regards to the individual differences that exist between students in the school environment. This essay illuminates the fact that pedagogues – working with children with intellectual disabilities – are affected by the perceptions, norms and categorizations of society