This study investigated the impact of the service-learning PLACE model on the social and civic competencies, and motivation and engagement in secondary school students. The methodological design was quasi-experimental with a nonequivalent control group. With the data collected from 232 secondary school students from five European countries, the following hypothesis was tested: students who engage in service-learning will have more developed social and civic competencies, higher motivation and engagement in school, and a lower tendency to drop out. Before and after the intervention, the measurement showed statistically significant differences between the groups in several traits and attributes related to social competency measures, social responsibility, personal values, academic perseverance, learning mindset, and overall student engagement and motivation. The results confirmed that service-learning can work effectively on social and civic competencies, to prevent social exclusion risks.

Although Austrian statistics inform about the distribution of students among different school types based on either their special education needs or their (forced) migration background, the group facing the disadvantages of both situations is almost invisible in the national context. There is a lack of data about the intersection of the kind of schooling (integrative setting, inclusive settings, or special education classes), gender, nationality, or first language use. In order to learn about the current educational practices and challenges in the Austrian context, parents of disabled children from a refugee background as well as educational experts and school authorities were interviewed. Findings showed that there is only a little awareness of the intersectional aspects of disability and forced migration among educational experts and school authorities, while the diagnosis of special education needs suffers from the complexity of the situation. Additionally, parents’ lack of information, as well as the need to improve collaboration and increase the availability of translation services, multilingual counseling, or service provision in general were other aspects that this study found. Parents perceived school choice as a key decision and findings underlined that their worries, also as a result of past experiences, affected current decision-making regarding their children’s education.

This study explored Viennese teachers’ ideas about religious diversity in schools. School teachers from three different school districts were interviewed about their attitudes towards having religious diversity in their classrooms and about their experiences with it. The aim was to explore reflections on the recent discussion about religious diversity in Austrian schools. The study showed that teachers reduce religious diversity to the presence of Muslim pupils in their classrooms. In addition, religious diversity is regarded as a source of tension, challenge, and restlessness. They further relate Christianity to secular norms. For many, having various religions in schools is not seen as an enrichment, but a hindrance to creating unity in schools and society. Islam is perceived also as a deterrent for school-parent cooperation, integration, and German learning, while religion-based Muslim peer groups are seen as undesired social groups.