Transition to formal schooling of children with disabilities: A systematic review

Since the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2006, the educational trajectories of children with disabilities have increasingly become the focus of public interest and the subject of empirical research. The transition to school has received special attention in this research. Yet a systematic overview of current research in this area is not available. The present article therefore offers a systematic review of the state of research on the transition to formal schooling of children with disabilities. The review is based on an understanding of educational transitions derived from ecological systems theory and a model of inclusive transition developed by the authors, which is used as a conceptual framework for the analysis. The evaluation of the studies included (N = 55) shows that various research methods are used, with interview and questionnaire surveys being the most prevalent. In terms of content, most studies focus on the subjective perspectives of parents, teachers, and external service providers involved in the transition to school. It becomes clear that the perspectives of these three groups are largely similar regarding perceived barriers and facilitators of successful transitions. Studies examining the perspectives of the children and their peers are sparse, however, as are studies that focus on the general social conditions and moderating processes in the transition. Finally, the results are discussed and perspectives for further research are derived.