Integration in Italian schools: teachers' perceptions regarding day-to-day practice and its effectiveness

Italy is famous for having the highest percentage of students with disabilities attending ‘the school for all’ (integration). However, in recent studies, the reality of integration seems to be more complex. Integration has reached some important goals (e.g. longer school careers), but while the Italian school system envisages the full participation of all students in normal class activities, there are various problems with the way in which integration is managed day-to-day. This study has two aims: to ascertain the extent to which the Italian legislation on integration is applied in practice and to assess the effectiveness of integration in terms of reaching the learning and social development objectives for students with disabilities and the class as a whole. The article describes the data collected though an online questionnaire compiled by 3230 Italian school staff members, mostly teachers. First, it shows that the integration experience of most of the students with disabilities takes the form of partial participation in class activities. Reasons for it are hypothesised. Second, the teachers' level of satisfaction with the learning and social skills of both students with disabilities and the class is generally positive. A although by no means outstandingly so.