Inclusion pyramid for university students with intellectual disabilities: input from the university community in European countries

Abstract

University policies are progressively promoting actions that enable the inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities. These actions are the responsibility of faculty, administrative and service staff and students themselves, as higher education is a fundamental right and a key means for social inclusion. This paper presents a qualitative study of three European countries. Twelve focus groups have been conducted and analysed through the CAQDAS Atlas.ti software, based on Grounded Theory, where by means of the Constant Comparative Method an open, axial and selective coding of the discourses has been carried out, resulting in three main dimensions, which are organised in the form of a pyramid to explain the actors’ discourses on inclusion. At the base, inclusion is based on institutional policies, both academic and equality; an intermediate level is formed by campus life, which constructs the physical and digital environments; and the third dimension (apex) focuses on individual issues of students’ academic and human promotion. Lines of action are thus established to build inclusive university systems where the autonomy and self-determination of the student with intellectual disabilities is fostered.