Abstract
As a developed country, Singapore’s development towards greater inclusiveness in schools has increased in recent years, yet the experiences and perspectives of school life of young people with moderate to severe physical disabilities are very much a mystery to those around them. The focus of this study is to explore the experiences of students with physical disabilities who are enrolled in a mainstream school. The study aimed to explore the impact of inclusive practices on the overall wellbeing of students through a comparative case study design, using multiple data sources to identify unique attributes. The study revealed various resources available to students and how these resources might affect their well-being against multiple challenges that they had owing to their respective disabilities. Their experiences, feelings and thoughts elucidated noteworthy variations because they were unique individuals from different demographics and had different worldviews, interests, and habits. Correspondingly, this study revealed that intrapersonal traits also played a role in adding to the students’ resources or challenges. The evidence from this study provides value to different stakeholders to help them understand the school experiences of students with moderate to severe physical disabilities. The mainstream schools which provide inclusive educational services to students with disabilities may be encouraged to are-examine the accessibility of their teaching services, school facilities and curriculum to better cater to students with moderate to severe disabilities.
