This thesis focuses on service utilisation among children with mild ID and their families, their needs for support and their experiences of support. Aims The overall aim of the thesis was to explore and describe service utilisation patterns among families of children with mild ID from a systems perspective. Methods A cross-sectional, descriptive and comparative quantitative design was used to describe the extent of service utilisation among 84 children with mild ID and their families (paper I and II). The types and number of services utilised were investigated in relation to the child’s age, gender and school setting. Data concerning the services utilised were collected from the organisational records of social services and paediatric habilitation units. In paper III, a descriptive questionnaire design was used to describe the support needs of families of 38 children with mild ID. A confirmatory design was used to examine the relation between family needs for support and (a) parental self-efficacy and (b) parents’ control over services. A confirmatory design was also used to examine the relation between parents’ experiences of the helpfulness of the support and (a) parental self-efficacy and (b) parents’ control over services. In paper IV a longitudinal, comparative and confirmatory design was used to investigate whether social service utilisation patterns differ over time when children with mild ID in self-contained classes are compared with those integrated into mainstream classes (n=405). Results In total, 60% of the families utilised paediatric habilitation services, and 40% of the families used disability-related services provided by social services. The most commonly utilised services were services concerned support outside of the home, such as respite care and services to improve children’s participation in society. Approximately 25% of the families utilised social problems-related services provided by social services. The most commonly utilised services concerned those to support parents in their parenting roles and financial assistance. In contrast to older children, younger children were more likely to utilise paediatric habilitation services. Older children utilised a higher number of disability-related service types provided by social services. Few differences were found between males and females. The majority of families did not utilise such services that are provided by social services. It was rare for families to use both disability-related services and those that address social problems during the same year. Commonly reported family needs concerned information about what services are available for their child, their child's impairment, how to respond to their child's behaviour and how to teach their child skills. Other common needs included access to parent support networks, to find suitable leisure activities for the child, and more alone time for parents. In contrast to families with mothers who did not participate in paid work, families with mothers who were employed expressed a lower requirement for support such as counselling, contact with other parents of children with impairments, more friends and more alone time for parents. Similar results werefound for families with mothers with higher levels of education. Parents with higher levels of perceived self-efficacy reported a lower need for information, as did also parents with higher levels of control over services. Parents with higher levels of control over services experienced the support as being more helpful. Children with mild ID who attended self-contained classes were more likely to utilise paediatric habilitation services than children integrated in mainstream classes. The same pattern was found for utilisation of disability-related services provided by social services. Integrated children who changed school setting to attend self-contained classes were more likely to begin to utilise disability-related services in comparison with those children who continued to be integrated. The former also had a higher likelihood of increasing the number of disability-related service types utilised. Conclusions In addition to disability-related problems, families of children with mild ID may also be at a higher risk of experiencing social problems when compared with the general population. Furthermore, very few families utilised both disability-related services and services addressing social problems. This implies that collaboration flaws exist between those professionals concerned with child welfare services and those concerned with disability-related services. A strong predictor of service utilisation was the type of school setting: children attending self-contained classes had a higher rate of service utilisation than those attending mainstream classes. This indicates that service systems outside of school are designed to collaborate with groups of pupils in special classes rather than individual children in mainstream classes. The strong need for information by families indicates that an ecological framework should be used to identify those factors that affect information availability and effectiveness. To increase parents’ perceived level of control over services, HSO professionals need to work in a capacity building manner with the explicit goal to enhance parental self-efficacy.

The purpose of this study is to highlight some teachers’ perceptions of participation and influence for students at the individual program, in special needs upper secondary school. The three questions that has been used to deepen and clarify the aim of the study is; what expression and communication possibilities do students have according to the teachers? What strategies do the teachers have concerning making awareness of the curriculum goals for the student to increase their possibility for influence and participation? And what strategies do the teachers have concerning to strengthen the students possibilities for participation and influence and what level of participation do the students have according the teachers? The method that has been used in this study is qualitative interview and four respondents that work at the individual program, in Special Needs upper secondary school has been interviewed. Shiers (2001) five participation levels has been used as theoretical basis in the study. The result of the study shows that students at the individual program, in special needs upper secondary school has big difficulties whit being actively participated and to  exert influence, as they lack well-developed communication abilities. The strategies the teachers have to increase the students’ participation and influence, describes by the respondents as easy choices and informal decision- making, and the level of participation that the students have, describes as developable.  The result however shows that the they reach the minimum limit in Shiers participation levels and therefore also reaches the level that nations that have signed ´the UN Convention of Rights of the Child, must achieve. There were no major contradictions in the study’s research field and together with the result it shows a relative consistent in that young people in need of special aid do not have participation and influence at the level as other children their age. This study shows a great relevance for the profession of special teachers, as it shows that the students’ early need to be identified to increase their possibilities for communication, participation which leads to greater influence. / Syftet med denna studie är att belysa några lärares uppfattningar om delaktighet och inflytande för elever på gymnasiesärskolans individuella program. De tre frågeställningar som använts för att fördjupa och tydliggöra syftet är; Vilka uttrycks- och kommunikationsmöjligheter har eleverna enligt lärarna? Vilka strategier har lärarna i arbetet med att medvetandegöra läro- och kursplanemål för att öka elevernas nivå av delaktighet och inflytande? Och vilka strategier har lärarna i arbetet med att stärka eleverna möjlighet till delaktighet och inflytande och vilken nivå av delaktighet har eleverna enligt lärarna? Metoden som använts i studien är kvalitativ intervju och fyra respondenter som arbetar inom gymnasiesärskolans individuella program har intervjuats. Shiers (2001) fem delaktighetsnivåer har använts som teoretisk utgångspunkt i studien. Studiens resultat visar att elever på gymnasiesärskolans individuella program har stora svårigheter med att aktivt vara delaktiga och utöva inflytande då de i stor utsträckning saknar välutvecklade kommunikationsmöjligheter. De strategier lärarna har för att öka elevernas delaktighet och inflytande beskrivs av respondenterna som enklare val och informella beslut och den nivå av delaktighet eleverna har, beskrivs som utvecklingsbar. Dock visade resultatet att de nådde upp till minimigränsen i Shiers (2001) delaktighetsmodell och därför även når upp till den nivå som bör nås för de länder som signerat Barnkonventionen. Det framkom inga större motstridigheter i studiens forskningsfält och tillsammans med resultatet visar det på en relativ samstämmighet i att unga i behov av stöd inte har delaktighet och möjlighet till inflytande i samma utsträckning som andra unga i samma ålder. Denna studie visar dock på en stor relevans för specialläraryrket då den visar på att eleverna behöver kartläggas tidigt för att rätt stöd och metoder ska sättas in för att öka deras möjligheter till kommunikation, delaktighet och därmed ökat inflytande.

Studiens syfte är att undersöka grundskollärarens uppfattningar av inkludering av grundsärskolans elever i grundskolans verksamhet. Frågeställningarna är; vilka möjligheter, utmaningar och framgångsfaktorer ser grundskolelärare angående inkludering av grundsärskolans elever i grundskolans verksamhet? Studien är en kvalitativ studie där sex semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförs med grundskollärare med erfarenhet av inkludering av grundsärskolans elever i grundskolans verksamhet från förskoleklass upp till årskurs sex. I analysen används två teorier, Asp-Onsjös (2008) teori om inkludering som belyser inkluderingen på nära håll och Nilholms (2007) perspektiv på specialpedagogik som tillåter en mer distanserad tolkning av fenomenet.     I studien framkommer de demokratiska och sociala fördelarna med att inkludera elever samt utmaningarna som innefattar såväl ledningens ansvar, lärarens arbetsvillkor, föräldrarnas inflytande och det dagliga arbetet. Framgångsfaktorer som blir tydliga är lärartäthet, tillgång till grupprum och att inkluderingen påbörjas direkt i förskoleklass. Intressant att lyfta är de samstämmiga uppfattningarna som presenteras såväl i litteraturen, forskningen, som av informanterna om de positiva effekterna, utmaningarna och framgångsfaktorer i inkluderingssammanhang. Mest anmärkningsvärt är hur betydelsefull socio-kommunikationen är mellan lärare och eleverna som inkluderas för att skapa sammanhang och förståelse om vad som avhandlas. Likaså betonas vikten av att upprätthålla ett gott socialt klimat på skolan.   Studiens resultat genererar ny kunskap som ger en möjlig förklaring om varför inkludering högre upp i skolåren tenderar att misslyckas. Genom att uppmärksamma vad som leder till exkludering kan skolledning, grundskollärare och speciallärare samverka för att finna lämpliga åtgärder för att motverka det. På så vis kan det som framkommer i denna studie användas i den pedagogiska praktiken. I undersökningen framkommer även vad som gynnar en inkluderande verksamhet och därmed kan detta sätta fokus på vad skolor behöver utveckla och inom vilka delar personalen behöver fortbildning för att kunna arbeta inkluderande. / The studies purpose is to examine inclusion of pupils with intellectual disabilities in compulsory schools. The key question is: what are the possibilities, challenges and successful methods as to how teachers can include pupils with intellectual disabilities and involve them in compulsory school? The study is qualitative where six semi-structured interviews are conducted by teachers with experience of including pupils with intellectual disabilities from preschool up to year 6 in compulsory schools. In the analysis there are two theories: The Asp- Onsjös (2008) theory which allowed a close analysis of the topic and Nilholms (2007) prespective on special needs teaching that allows a more distanced interpretation of the phenomenon.   In the study there are both the social and democratic advantages that incorporates pupils challenges. These challenges are also effected by the leadership, teacher, working conditions, parents influence and their daily work. Successful factors that are working are teaching experience, access to student work rooms that are included directly as a continuation of kindergarten. The interest is that the same experiences presented in the literature and research, can present the positive effects, challenges and successful methods inherent in compulsory inclusion. Most noticeable is how important socio-communication is between teachers and pupils that can be included to create inclusion and understanding in a permissive learning environment. It also stressed the importance of maintaining a good social climate at school.   The result of the study generates a new knowledge and gives a possible explanation about why placing inclusive pupils with intellectual disability higher up in the learning stage generally fails. Paying attention to what leads to exclusion can help the school leadership, teachers and special needs teachers co-operate to find suitable alternatives. The finding from this study may lead to improved future learnings and understandings of pedagogy in the school environment. In future studies there should be consideration to what constitutes appropriate activities and what schools need to develop. Staff professional development would also play an important part in this to develop their awareness and knowledge of inclusion of pupils with an intellectual disability.

Tidigare studier har visat att individer med lindrig intellektuell funktionsnedsättning uppvisar en generellt lägre läsförmåga än individer med typisk utveckling. Vad detta bottnar i är oklart men mycket forskning tyder på att språkliga förmågor har en inverkan på läsförmågan. Föreliggande studie syftar till att undersöka eventuella samband mellan läsförmåga och språkliga förmågor hos barn och unga vuxna med lindrig intellektuell funktionsnedsättning i åldrarna 12 till 25 år.  De språkliga förmågor som undersöktes var fonologisk medvetenhet, snabb benämning (RAN), ordförråd, grammatisk förståelse samt språkförståelse. Testningarna genomfördes på deltagarnas respektive skolor utspridda i mellersta och södra Sverige. Råpoängen från respektive test användes i korrelations- och regressionsanalys för att kartlägga eventuella samband. I studien medverkade totalt 27 barn och unga vuxna i åldrarna 13;06–25;09 år. Resultaten visar att RAN och fonologisk medvetenhet har starka signifikanta samband med avkodning som helhet vilka tillsammans förklarar 72,3 % av variansen. Läsförståelse har starka signifikanta samband med fonologisk medvetenhet, grammatisk förståelse, avkodning som helhet och språkförståelse, där avkodning som helhet, språkförståelse och ordförråd förklarar 62,4 % av variansen. Ortografisk avkodning uppvisar ett starkare samband med läsförståelse än fonologisk avkodning. Resultaten i studien överensstämmer med tidigare forskning som menar att fonologisk medvetenhet och RAN är av vikt för alla typer av avkodning och att avkodning i sig påverkar läsförståelsen hos individer med såväl typisk utveckling som med lindrig intellektuell funktionsnedsättning. Däremot går resultaten i föreliggande studie emot tidigare forskning som inte kunnat visa att ordförrådet har signifikant påverkan på läsförståelsen hos individer med lindrig intellektuell funktionsnedsättning. Sammanfattningsvis visar resultaten av föreliggande studie att flertalet språkliga förmågor kan förklara variansen av såväl de olika typerna av avkodning som läsförståelse. Resultatet kan bidra till ökad kunskap kring bakomliggande faktorer till den nedsatta läsförmåga som observeras hos individer med lindrig intellektuell funktionsnedsättning. Resultaten tyder dock på att vidare forskning behövs för att fastställa vilka övriga faktorer som kan förklara resterande varians samt att stärka fynden i föreliggande studie. / Previous studies have shown that individuals exhibiting mild intellectual disability show a lower reading ability than individuals with typical development. The reasons behind these differences are unclear. However, research shows that specific language abilities affect reading ability. The present study aims to investigate any possible correlations between language ability and reading ability in young people with mild intellectual disability, aged 12 to 25 years. The examined linguistic abilities were phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming (RAN), vocabulary, grammatical comprehension and language comprehension. Testing was held at the participants’ schools in various parts of central and southern Sweden. The raw scores were used in correlation and regression analyses to map out any correlations. A total of 27 participants with ages ranging between 13;06 years and 25;09 years were included in the study. The results showed that RAN and phonological awareness had strong significant correlations to decoding and that they together can account for 72.3 % of its variance. Reading comprehension showed strong significant correlations to phonological awareness, grammatical comprehension, decoding, and language comprehension. Language comprehension and vocabulary explained 62.4 % of the variance in reading comprehension. Word decoding showed a stronger correlation to reading comprehension than phonological decoding. The results of the present study are in large parts compatible with previous research, which supports the findings that phonological awareness and RAN are of importance to decoding ability, and that decoding in turn has an impact on reading comprehension in individuals with both typical development and intellectual disability. However, the results in the present study are at odds with previous research, which has not found significant correlations between vocabulary and reading comprehension in individuals with mild intellectual disability. In summation, results of the present study show that a number of linguistic abilities can explain the variance of both decoding and reading comprehension. Hopes are that the results from the present study can contribute to furthering knowledge of the underlying factors which explain why individuals with mild intellectual disabilities generally are poor readers. More research is needed to confirm which other factors can explain the remaining variance and to strengthen the results of the present study.

This study looks at what happens in informal conversations between three people with learning difficulties (intellectual impairment) and a range of non-disabled partners. It takes a participatory approach using data collected by the participants with learning difficulties who chose their communication partners; these partners included family and staff who were paid to support them. The study uses descriptive statistics to highlight areas where there was apparent asymmetry in the conversations. Conversation Analysis combined with features taken from Systemic Functional Linguistics is then used to look in detail at some of these aspects. Important features identified include turn design, repair, and the use of evaluative language and the contribution of non-verbal aspects in particular eye gaze, gesture and the use of artefacts. The study highlights possible strategies for assessing and supporting more effective and equitable interaction for those with learning difficulties and communication impairment and identifies features that should be considered when training professionals working in the field of learning difficulties.

Dans la littérature actuelle, il existe peu d’études portant sur l’évolution des adultes présentant un Trouble du Spectre Autistique (TSA) associé à une Déficience Intellectuelle (DI). Toutefois, de manière générale, les données disponibles suggèrent que se sont les personnes les plus déficientes qui connaissent les changements les moins significatifs.Cette étude exploratoire et rétrospective concerne 7 sujets atteints d’autisme associé à une DI sévère. Sont retracés sur une période de trente ans leurs parcours de vie, leurs évolutions cliniques, leurs niveaux d’adaptation au quotidien, et ceci depuis l’âge de leurs 20 ans. Le recueil de données a été réalisé sur la base d’études des dossiers médico-éducatifs ainsi qu’à partir d’entretiens semi structurés menés auprès du personnel encadrant. Bien que nous n’ayons pas pu mettre en évidence de changement significatif concernant les profils cliniques, comportementaux et adaptatifs de ces sujets, certains d’entre eux ont connu des évolutions qualitatives comme une diminution de l’intensité de la symptomatologie ou de l’importance des troubles du comportement. Les résultats ont été discutés à la lumière des travaux actuels et critiqués au regard des limites méthodologiques. Des propositions de recherches sont formulées : suivi de la population actuelle ; mise en place d’un plan longitudinal prospectif concernant une cohorte représentative de personnes adultes autistes avec DI sur une longue période ; proposition de protocoles spécifiques d’apprentissage avec évaluation des effets de ce type de prise en charge. / So far few studies have focused on the evolution of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder associated with Intellectual Disability. In existing literature the available data show that the persons with the severest intellectual disabilities present the least significant changes. The present study - both exploratory and retrospective - deals with 7 patients with autism associated with a severe intellectual disability. Over a 30-year period - after the age of 20 - their life course, their clinical evolutions, their adaptive daily skills were described. The data collection was based on the study of their medical and educational records as well as on semidirective interviews with the staff. Although no significant change concerning their clinical, behavioural and adaptive profile could be pointed out, some patients presented qualitative evolutions such as a decrease in the intensity of their symptomatology or in the importance of their behavioral disorders. The results were discussed taking into account recent studies; they were criticized considering the methodological limits of our study. Suggestions for future research are: the follow-up of the patients of our study; the setting up of a prospective longitudinal study concerning a representative cohort of adults with autism with intellectual disability over a long period of time; suggestions of specific learning protocols together with assessments of that type of interventions.

This thesis builds on the bachelor thesis Preparation of persons with intellectual disability for sheltered living, in which I dealt with three clients of a particular social service provider - Tereza, who were about to go into sheltered living or who lived there for a short time. Two of these clients and one new client of sheltered living were for the purpose of this thesis put under long time surveillance. The thesis is divided in two parts, theoretical and practical. Theoretical part deals in detail with an adult person with intellectual disability, family of such an adult, rights and quality of life of people with intellectual disability. Further, I deal with the process of deinstitutionalization. The practical part is dedicated to Tereza, a provider of social services, its sheltered living and three clients already mentioned. The aim of this study was to determine what for advantages and possibilities living in sheltered living has, eventually what restrictions it brings. By describing the specific situation I tried to show what life in sheltered living provides to these clients, if there are any problematic situations and as subsequently affect their current lives. Keywords: Adult with intellectual disability, quality of life, adult rights, deinstitutionalization, sheltered living,...

Les causes génétiques des syndromes avec déficiences intellectuelles sont encore peu élucidées. Les données actuelles disponibles sont très récentes et encore incomplètes. Le syndrome de Mowat-Wilson appartient à ce cadre nosologique. Il associe une déficience intellectuelle profonde et un syndrome polymalformatif comprenant une maladie de Hirschsprung, des anomalies du corps calleux, des anomalies cardiaques et urogénitales. Les causes moléculaires sont, dans la très grande majorité des cas, des mutations tronquantes de ZEB2 (ou SIP1 ou ZFHX1B). Ces anomalies surviennent de novo à l'état hétérozygote. Récemment, nous avons identifié dans notre laboratoire, trois nouvelles mutation faux-sens de ZEB2 chez trois patients ayant un phénotype modéré de la maladie. Nous montrons que ces anomalies moléculaires induisent une perte de fonction de la protéine. Les techniques de sauvetage du phénotype par injection d'ARN ZEB2 sauvage et muté montrent que, chez les embryons morphants sip1b, les protéines mutées participent partiellement au développement des dérivés neuraux et des crêtes neurales.Parallèlement à cette étude, par séquençage de l'exome, nous avons identifié chez un patient atteint de déficience intellectuelle syndromique, une mutation de CSDE1. Ce gène code une protéine à 5 domaines cold-shock, liant l'ARN et régulant la traduction dépendante de l'IRES. C'est la première fois que CSDE1 est impliqué en pathologie. Nous montrons que la mutation entraine une haploinsuffisance et dérégule la traduction de ZEB2. / [Translated by Reverso web site - The genetic causes of the syndromes with intellectual deficiencies are again little clarified. The available current data are very recent and still incomplete. The syndrome of Mowat-Wilson belongs to this nosologique frame(executive). He(it) associates a deep intellectual deficiency and a polymalformatif syndrome understanding(including) a disease of Hirschsprung, anomalies of the corpus callusum, the cardiac anomalies and urogénitales. The molecular causes are, in her(it) very great majority of the cases, tronquantes transfers(transformations) of ZEB2 (or SIP1 or ZFHX1B). These anomalies arise of novo in the heterozygous state. Recently, we identified in our laboratory, three news(short stories) transfer(transformation) misinterpretation of ZEB2 at three patients having a moderate phenotype of the disease. We show that these molecular anomalies lead(infer) a loss of function(office) of the protein. The techniques of rescue of the phenotype by injection of wild and moved ARN ZEB2 show that, to morphants embryos sip1b, moved proteins participate partially in the development of by-products neuraux and neurales crests. In a parallel to(at the same time as) this study, by sequencing of the exome, we identified at a patient's reached(affected) by intellectual syndromique deficiency, a transfer(transformation) of CSDE1. This gene codes a protein in 5 domains cold-shock, linking(binding) ARN and regulating the dependent translation of IRES. It is the first time when CSDE1 is involved in pathology. We show that the transfer(transformation) entraine a haploinsuffisance and deregulate the translation of ZEB2.]

Den svenska skolan är en ”skola för alla”, trots det har många elever i kognitiva svårigheter svårt att få det stöd de behöver för att utveckla sitt lärande. Syftet med studien var att ta reda på vilka metoder som lärare, verksamma i skolår 1-6 i grundsärskolan och grundskolan, använder för att ge alla elever möjlighet till utveckling och lärande. Sex lärare verksamma i de två skolformerna djupintervjuades utifrån deras uppfattning om arbete med formativ bedömning och dess effekter. Studien visar att alla lärare använder formativ bedömning i olika grad och att metoderna varierar. Lärarna menar att de behöver öka sin kompetens för att utveckla gynnsamma metoder och arbetssätt i sina klassrum. För att nå framgång behöver de mer tid och resurser samt en organisation som skapar kontinuitet kring fortbildning och kollegialt lärande. / The Swedish school is a “school for everyone”, despite this, many pupils with cognitive disabilities have difficulties getting the support they need to develop in their learning. The purpose with this study was to discover what methods teachers, in the school years 1-6 in primary school and special needs school, utilise to give all students abilities for developing and learning. Six teachers active in the two school forms were deep interviewed about their perception of working with formative assessment and its affects. The study shows that all the teachers utilise formative assessment of various degrees and that the methods vary. The teachers believe that they need to increase their skills in order to develop favourable methods and work for their classrooms. To reach success, they will need more time and resources as well as an organisation that creates continuity among further training and peer learning.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka vilka uppfattningar några elever inskrivna i grundsärskolans senare del har om sitt inflytande i skolan. Det empiriska materialet samlades in genom två fokusgruppintervjuer där sammanlagt fyra elever deltog. Eleverna tillhör formellt en grundsärskoleklass men har alla även viss undervisning i åldersadekvata grundskoleklasser. Studien har en kvalitativ metodansats med inspiration av barndomssociologisk teori, med Lundys (Welty & Lundy, 2013) inflytandemodell som teoretiskt analysverktyg. Resultatet visar att den sociala miljön har betydelse för elevernas möjlighet till inflytande. Elevernas grundsärskoleklass uppfattas som trygg och inkluderande vilket fungerar som en grund för elevernas mod och vilja att använda sitt aktörskap. Elevernas grundskoleklasser uppfattas däremot som otrygga vilket hämmar deras inflytande. De områden som eleverna uppfattar att de har inflytande i är uteslutande kopplat till deras grundsärskoleklass. Eleverna uppfattar att de involveras det vill säga att vuxna söker elevernas åsikter, lyssnar och agerar när det gäller deras individuella veckodagbok, raster, utvecklingssamtal, klassråd samt schema. Vilket tyder på att de har reellt inflytande inom dessa områden. Vad gäller undervisning framgår av resultatet att det är ett område där elevernas inflytande skulle kunna beskrivas som begränsat. Det handlar dock inte om inte all undervisning. I en del ämnen uppfattar de att de har mer inflytande och i andra mindre. Det går därför inte att dra den enkla slutsatsen att eleverna saknar inflytande utan att det beror på ämnets natur och vilken relation de har till undervisande lärare. Ett annat viktigt resultat var att mer inflytande skulle potentiellt kunna öka elevernas engagemang. Eleverna gav under fokusgruppintervjuerna flera olika exempel på hur de skulle vilja att undervisningen såg ut i olika ämnen. Uppgifter där eleverna får använda mer av sin kreativitet uppfattas som roligare av eleverna. Det handlar därför om att själva formen för undervisningen begränsar deras engagemang. / The purpose of the study was to investigate what perceptions some special school students enrolled in the latter part of primary school have about their political participation in school. The empirical material was collected through two focus group interviews where a total of four students participated. The students formally belong to a special school class, but they all also participate in some age-appropriate primary school classes. The study has a qualitative method approach inspired by childhood sociological theory, with the ”Voice” model (Welty & Lundy, 2013) as theoretical analysis tool. The result shows that the social environment is important for students' ability to express their views and participate in decision-making. The students special school class is perceived as safe and inclusive, which serves as a basis for the students' courage and willingness to use their agency. The pupils' primary school classes are perceived as insecure, which inhibits their courage to speak their mind and therefor also their involvement in decision-making. The areas that the students perceive to have influence over are exclusively linked to their special school class. The students perceive that they are involved (that is, adults seek students' views, listen and act upon them) regarding their individual weekly diary, breaks, development talks, class councils, and schedule. Which indicates that they have real political participation in these areas. As regards to teaching, the results indicates that that is an area where students' influence could be described as limited. However, this does not concern all teaching. In some subjects the students perceive that they have more involvement in decision-making and in others less. It is therefore not possible to make the simple conclusion that the students lack influence, rather it is depending on the nature of the subject and what relation they have with the teachers. Another important outcome was that more influence could potentially increase the students' involvement. During the focus group interviews, the students gave several different examples of how they would like the teaching to appear like in different subjects. Tasks where students may use more of their creativity where perceived as more fun by the students. Thus, the form of teaching limits their commitment.