Inside the “cocoon" of special education classes. When autonomy serves as a gold standard for reorienting pupils

Abstract

Based on ethnographic observations in special education dispositifs in primary and secondary schools, this chapter questions the vision of the special education environment as a cocoon by showing that students are not exempt from the standards and requirements that usually govern regular classes. After a description of the context of the study and the theoretical framework and methodology, a third part shows how autonomy works as a criterion in order to gauge whether or not to reorient students. Far from being sheltered places, special education classes appear as "airlocks" for discriminating between students deemed capable of returning to an ordinary class and those who will remain in a separate system. Autonomy in particular, understood in a narrow definition (sitting still, working alone) serves as a “gold standard” for promoting students in ordinary classes or relegating them in separated classes or institutions. Parts 4 and 5 present the situations of two special education students. The first example of Sylvain highlights how a student ca be prepared for a return to a regular classroom and how he can be put back to work and taken back in hand. this preparation appears to be mostly a façade to present the student in the best light. To be accepted in regular class. The second example presents the situation of Esmeralda, a student who decides to seek vocational training on her own. This situation highlights a paradox: while the school advocates student autonomy, it is unable to leave its role of controlling and monitoring students.