Inclusive Education through the Lens of Diversity: A Case Study in an Arts School with a Focus on Chinese Students

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to determine the influence of a collaborative art project between a museum and a public school on the process of inclusion and involvement of Chinese children and their families. This qualitative study is based on 9 months of observation of Art-Based Project (ABP) activities in the school and the museum, as well as interviews with parents, museum technicians, and instructors. The findings imply that the assimilation paradigm causes family separation among immigrants, which may be one reason for the high dropout rate in this population. As a result, the first technique for including immigrant children is to assist their parents. The Tandem Project, which employs the arts education model developed by the school and the museum: ABP, and the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) included in this art project have a positive impact on Chinese children's language ability, participation in school activities, furthermore, children's inclusion and family involvement has been improved.