Students with disabilities and their parents talk about friendships and relationships at school

Supportive friendships and relationships at school contribute to children’s quality of life as well as their learning. There are some concerns that students with disabilities may be isolated, lonely and have few friends at school, even when they have always been taught in the mainstream. This article explores a range of friendship and relationship themes described by three students with disabilities and their families, and looks at some of the ways in which schools can support or create barriers to the development of friendships for students with disabilities.