A “visitor in the class”: marginalization of students using AAC in mainstream education classes

The importance of relationships and social inclusion for students in mainstream education is recognized by scholars as well as in national and international policy. However., there is limited research on the friendships and social life of students who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in mainstream educational systems. This study explored the views of social life among students using AAC in the Norwegian mainstream, public school. Semi-structure interviews were conducted with 7 students using AAC in first to fourth grade, 10 fellow students, 6 parents, and 18 staff. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, three organizational and structural premises for friendship between students using AAC and fellow students were identified. Students using AAC had different and weaker extrinsic premises for developing friendship compared with fellow students in class, and results revealed that they had a visiting role towards students in the mainstream class. The schools’ educational practice violated both national and international perspectives on inclusion.