2019 TASH Conference

This qualitative case study explores how a student with significant disabilities in the lower mainland of British Columbia participates an inclusive classroom, using The Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E) as a theoretical framework. CMOP-E comes from the field of occupational therapy (OT) and offers a unique perspective on participation, by examining interactions between factors of the person, environment, and the activity (Polatajko, Townsend, & Craik, 2007). The purpose of this study was to further develop theory of school participation of students with significant disabilities and promote a shared understanding of participation between occupational therapists and educators. Results of this study suggest a student with significant disabilities participates in the social life of an inclusive classroom when they are part of a group and when their individual learning goals are woven into classroom activities and routines. When it comes to academic inclusion, a student with significant disabilities only participates in a restricted role, with little engagement in curricular content. Findings suggest that personal factors of the student (e.g., communication skills) facilitate participation, but also reveal that personal factors of all classroom members (e.g., values, skills, and role of the teacher and education assistant; student perceptions of participation) and how these factors interact with each other are more influential than the individual student factors alone. Results of this study support the need for further development of the relationship between OT and school participation and for continued research and development of collaborative practices between educators and specialists.