PATHWAY is a research project conducted by the Department of Education, University of Vienna in cooperation with Bildungsdirektion Wien, Kirchlich Pädagogische Hochschule Wien/Krems and University of Luxembourg.

The research project focuses on the academic and socio-emotional development of students at Viennese schools.

The aim of the study is to answer the following three main research questions:

1. How do students with and without learning disabilities in different school settings (inclusion classes, regular classes, special education classes) differ in their academic achievement, social participation and academic well-being at the end of fourth grade elementary school?
2. How do students with and without learning disabilities in different school settings (inclusion classes, regular classes, special education classes) develop in their academic performance, social participation and academic well-being during the school year (when there is a change of class in between)?
3. Do the results of research questions 1 and 2 change when the two influencing factors socioeconomic status and intelligence are controlled?

The three research questions relate to two group comparisons in particular:

• Comparison of students with learning disabilities attending an inclusion class and students with learning disabilities attending a special education class.
• Comparison of students without learning disabilities who attend an integration class and students without learning disabilities who attend a regular class.