Tests of moderation of the big-fish-little-pond effect across students with and without special educational needs in regular versus special education schools

Inclusive education has become increasingly popular based on the assumption that it has multiple benefits for students with special educational needs (SEN). However, contradictions remain regarding the widespread nature of these benefits, particularly when it comes to academic motivation. In this large-scale cross-sectional study, we relied on the Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect (BFLPE) to assess the links between inclusive education and students’ academic self-concepts and learning interests in the mathematics and verbal domains. The sample consisted of 21,219 German elementary school children in Grade 4 who were enrolled in three groups: students without SEN attending regular schools (n1 = 19,069), students with SEN attending regular schools (n2 = 933), and students with SEN attending special education schools (n3 = 1214). Doubly latent multi-group multilevel structural equation models and tests of latent interaction were performed to test the BFLPE. Results supported the BFLPE for both outcomes and domains. However, no BFLPE was identified for learning interest in the verbal domain among students with SEN attending special education schools, although the size of this effect did not differ significantly from that observed among students without SEN. In regular schools, the BFLPE was almost two times stronger among students with SEN than among their peers without SEN. Results support the generalizability of the BFLPE to students with SEN, while casting doubts on the motivational benefits of inclusive education for these students. Interventions targeted at attenuating the BFLPE should thus be tailored for both regular and special education schools. •We generalize the Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect to self-concept and learning interest.•We test the BFLPE among students with and without special educational needs.•We test the BFLPE across regular and special education schools, and in mathematics and German.•The BFLPE was supported across outcomes (but stronger for self-concept), subject, and samples.•The BFLPE was stronger for students with special educational needs in regular schools.