Inclusion at the IB Diploma Programme in a Swedish Upper Secondary School context

The purpose of the essay is to contribute with knowledge about inclusion on the IB Diploma Programme, at a Swedish Upper Secondary School. The posed questions are: What practices within the school are inclusive? What barriers to inclusion do students and teachers experience? Do students and teachers perceive a difference in inclusion between the IBDP and the national programmes in the school? There is a discussion about how the barriers to inclusion could be removed and about how the school could move on to the next level of inclusion. With a hermeneutic approach, through questionnaires directed to students and teachers, a clearer picture of inclusion at the studied school emerges. Teachers would like to gain more knowledge about how to adapt teaching to students’ different needs and students would like to receive more help in school. The school culture is an important factor for finding explanations to attitudes to inclusion. The importance of leaders is stressed here as vital for moving to the next level in the process of inclusion. Enabling extended knowledge in the field of inclusion lies in the hands of school leaders. The school needs to discuss and share core values and become committed to the development of an effective inclusive school. Student progress should be monitored in a data system, and instruction can be improved in a system of learning-centered professional development. The difference in inclusion that students and teachers perceive between the IBDP and the national programmes could be worked upon in a process oriented way of regarding learning, not just aiming for exams. The IBDP could also be made more an integrated part of the school through participation in joint events such as sport competitions. The role of the inclusive arrangement teacher could also be worked upon. He or she could be used not only as a one-to-one resource for students, but also as a coach and help for teachers and leaders. Implications for inclusive arrangement teachers are to continue research on the independent schools – to investigate how the process of inclusion is implemented and let the different school forms learn from each other