Educational Inclusion from the Students' Perspective: Contrasts between Contexts

Abstract

This qualitative study explores how primary school students experience inclusive education more broadly, with particular attention to the inclusion of autistic peers, in four public schools located in varying sociogeographic contexts across the province of Valencia, Spain. Using group interviews, the research gathers students’ perspectives on the barriers and enablers that affect inclusive practices in their schools, offering critical insights from those who inhabit the educational reality on a daily basis. Findings indicate that inclusion is not a fixed state, but a dynamic and multifaceted process shaped by pedagogical, organizational, and relational dimensions. Key enabling factors include positive teacher attitudes, inclusive school cultures, and the implementation of flexible, emotionally sensitive, and cooperative teaching methodologies that allow diverse learners to feel valued and supported. Moreover, students’ voices help reveal hidden tensions, such as the persistence of stigmatizing attitudes toward difference or contradictions between formal equality and actual equity in classroom experiences. Rural contexts, in particular, demonstrate a strong potential for fostering inclusion due to more intimate relationships, reduced academic pressure, and more personalized approaches to learning. The study concludes that actively listening to students is essential for advancing toward more humane, equitable, and inclusive educational environments that recognize and celebrate diversity.