Veslemøy Maria Fossum Johansson

Norwegian version of this page Faculty of Teacher Education and Languages

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Norwegian version of this page Position

Doctoral Research Fellow

Contact

+4769608492

veslemoy.m.johansson@hiof.no

Study place

Halden

Office nr.

E1-004

PhD-programme

Digitalisation and Society

Background

I hold a master's degree in special education with a focus on psychosocial difficulties. Since 2021 I`ve been working at Østfold University College. I have taught in the master's program in special education. I was responsible for the course Special Education as a Discipline and Research Field in an Inclusive Perspective and for supervising master's theses.

Before that, I worked for 12 years in the Oslo school system, including three years in the Educational Psychological Service (PPT), eight years as a educational counsellor, and one year as an educational school leader. Children are at the centre of my work I am dedicated to supporting children and young people to take part in their eveyrday and educational communities. I have developed a good understanding of how legal frameworks and everyday practice sometimes intersect or conflictin ways that affect children’s opportunities for participation.

Academic interests

My academic interests focus on inclusion, children’s rights, and citizenship. In my PhD project, I explore digital exclusion among children and young people, with particular attention to how they themselves describe the barriers they experience in school, family, and leisure contexts. I am especially interested in how research and practice can be combined to create more inclusive solutions, and how children’s own perspectives can be used to strengthen participation and recognition.

More broadly, I am engaged in questions of how different forms of exclusion emerge, how structures contribute to keeping some groups on the outside, and how these boundaries can be challenged. My research is part of the CHANGE initiative at Østfold University College, which focuses on the inclusion of vulnerable children and young people.

Title of dissertation: Digital exclusion among children and young people
Supervisors: Professor Ingeborg Hognestad Krange, Associate Professor Elia Gabarron and Associate Professor Ilka Nagel

Courses taught

Masterstudium i spesialpedagogikk, deltid (120 studiepoeng) – Høgskolen i Østfold

LUMSP40114 Spesialpedagogikk som fag og forskningsfelt i et inkluderende perspektiv (Høst 2025) – Høgskolen i Østfold

LUMSP40718 Masteroppgave (Høst 2025–Vår 2026) – Høgskolen i Østfold

Projects

Parental voice/choice about their child’s education

Research groups

Research in Digital Education - RIDE

Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum; Gabarron, Elia; Krange, Ingeborg Hognestad & Nagel, Ilka (2026). Digital Exclusion Among Children and Young People: A Scoping Review. Nordic Journal of Systematic Reviews in Education. 4. doi: 10.23865/njsre.v4.7755. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
The objective of this scoping review is to map, systematically, how existing research describes children’s and young people’s experiences of digital exclusion, with attention to the extent, nature, and scope of the literature. The review was conducted in accordance with the JBI guidelines for scoping reviews, and with the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The researched databases include Education Source, ERIC, PsycINFO, and Scopus, as well as empirical and grey literature focused on children and young people aged 10 to 18, exploring their experiences of digital exclusion in educational and/or everyday contexts. A total of 16 studies were included. Most used qualitative methods to explore digital exclusion in education and everyday life. Three main perspectives emerged: 1) multilevel digital divides (access, skills, outcomes); 2) child-centered experiences; and 3) structural inequalities linked to socioeconomic, geographic, and gender factors. Common barriers included limited device and internet access, low digital skills, affordability issues, and restrictive household or school policies. Disadvantaged groups, such as rural youth, girls in restrictive environments, and children with functional variations, were most affected, and often required additional support and accessible tools. The included studies indicate that children’s digital exclusion is multilayered, shaped by access, skills, outcomes, and social context. Exclusion is described as involving not only resources, but also opportunities, support, and recognition. Several studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic describe how new vulnerabilities may emerge as contexts shift. Most included studies focus on predefined “at-risk” groups. However, exclusion can also affect children outside these categories, highlighting the need for broader, more integrated approaches.
Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum; Gibson, Suanne; Woodcock, Stuart; Dechsling, Anders; Kullmann, Harry & Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2026). Parental (dis)satisfaction with school placement to achieve inclusion: a cross-country comparison. Frontiers in Education. 11. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2026.1710708. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background This study draws on data from a larger international project exploring parents' perceptions of the education of their children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Using responses from 1,309 parents in Australia, England, Germany, and Norway it examines parental satisfaction with mainstream and special schools, and parents' school placement preferences, including willingness to change schools. Parental satisfaction is assessed as an overall evaluation of how well the child's school placement meets their needs, without distinguishing between specific aspects of the school experience. The study also explores whether the child's level of support is associated with these perceptions. Based on a human rights perspective, we highlight parents’ perspectives and their role in the development of more inclusive education systems, without promoting one model of schooling over another. Methods Responses from 1,309 parents across four countries were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Non-parametric tests compared satisfaction across school types, chi-squared tests assessed associations with willingness to change schools, and binary logistic regression examined whether level of support was associated with parents' willingness to change school placement. Results Parents in England, Germany, and Norway reported higher satisfaction with special schools than with mainstream schools. No statistically significant difference was observed in Australia. Parents of children in special schools were less likely to report considering changing schools, particularly in England and Norway. Higher pupil support needs were significantly associated with parents’ willingness to change school across the combined sample. These findings suggest that parental satisfaction with their child's education and their preferences regarding school placement may be shaped by both school type and how well pupils' support needs are perceived to be met. Discussion and conclusion The role of parents as key stakeholders in developing inclusive education systems, consistent with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is emphasised. While parents in special schools in three of the four countries reported higher satisfaction, the reasons for this remain unclear. Understanding the factors shaping parental satisfaction is essential for developing inclusive and responsive learning environments. These findings offer a starting point for future research on how education systems can better align policy commitments with families’ lived experiences.
Smedsrud, Jørgen Hammer; Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum & Nordahl-Hansen, Anders (2025). What's so special about special education? Voicing special education students' perspectives in smaller classes in upper secondary school. Teaching and Teacher Education : An International Journal of Research and Studies. ISSN 0742-051X. 170, p. 1–9. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2025.105298. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
In this study, we interviewed nine students with special educational needs participating in smaller group settings in upper secondary school. The results indicate that even though these students are placed in smaller groups, which may be understood as segregation, they describe their educational setting in a positive way, seem to thrive socially and appreciate that teachers follow them closely. The students describe their current situation more positively than their experiences in elementary and secondary school. Thus, the benefits of including students with special educational needs in regular classes remains unclear, at least when the students’ perspectives are considered.
Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum & Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline (2025). Cultivating inclusive schools: the role of extended professional learning communities. Educational Research. ISSN 0013-1881. 67(4), p. 442–460. doi: 10.1080/00131881.2025.2548263. Full text in Research Archive

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Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum; Gabarron, Elia; Krange, Ingeborg Hognestad & Nagel, Ilka (2026). Digital exclusion among children and young people. Full text in Research Archive
Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum; Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline & Skafle, Ingjerd (2026). The fight for justice and equality: Parental perspectives on school choice in Norway. Full text in Research Archive
Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum; Gabarron, Elia; Krange, Ingeborg Hognestad & Nagel, Ilka (2025). Protocol: Digital exclusion among children and young people: a scoping review. doi: 10.5281/ZENODO.19047225. Full text in Research Archive
Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum; Gibson, Suanne; Woodcock, Stuart; Dechsling, Anders; Kullmann, Harry & Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2025). Parental (Dis)Satisfaction with School Placement to Achieve Inclusion: A Cross-Country Comparison. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Article 24 of the CRPD (2006) underpins inclusive education for children with disabilities as a human right. However, global systems often fail to meet these needs, with persistent segregation, limited accessibility, and inadequate accommodations (Anderson & Boyle, 2020). Inclusion is frequently reduced to physical placement, neglecting meaningful participation and systemic adaptation (de Beco, 2022). Critics argue this reinforces segregation rather than fostering inclusivity. Parental perspectives, shaped by concerns over bullying, isolation, and insufficient support, remain mixed (Gal et al., 2025). Systemic reform prioritizing parent and student voices is essential. This paper seeks to examine parental perceptions of children with additional educational needs, addressing a notable gap in research that has often overlooked these critical stakeholders (Sharma et al., 2022). It investigates the factors influencing parents' choices between mainstream and special schools for their children, as well as their satisfaction with these decisions. Using the recently developed Parental Perception of Inclusion Climate Scale (PPICS, Sharma et al., 2022), a tool designed to assess parents' views on school practices related to inclusion, our findings from a study with 9 countries, show that parents of children in special schools, report significantly higher levels of satisfaction compared to those with children in mainstream schools. Among parents considering a change in their child's school, those with children in mainstream schools are three times more likely to seek such a move. Notably, the likelihood of wanting to switch schools is not influenced by the level of support needs, though this trend varies in some country-specific data. Furthermore, 68% of respondents believe that special schools or special classes are necessary to meet the needs of students like their child, underscoring strong support for specialized education settings. Implications for practice and recommendations for policy and practice will be discussed.
Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum; Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Ulriksen, Line Britt; Nordahl-Hansen, Anders & Dechsling, Anders (2024). Parental Perception on Well-being of Students with Disabilities in Regular and Special Schools. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Inclusion is a complex concept that ranges from placing students in mainstream classrooms to changing entire educational systems. Whileinclusive education is often simplified as the place where students are educated, it is much more than just the mere placement. In inclusiveclassrooms, all students irrespective of diversities are welcomed and schools make adjustments to ensure that the needs of all students aremet. Research has shown a positive impact of inclusive practices on all students including those who have additional needs (Artiles et al.2006). There has been some debate that inclusion mandates across most countries are driven by policymakers, and researchers and thevoices of parents/carers and students with disabilities and their siblings are not given due attention. The perspectives of those who are theactual recipients of inclusion policies and how they experience them should not be overlooked. In Norway, the basic principle of specialeducation is that the student should be taught in mainstream schools (also referred to as inclusive schools), still 9% of students areeducated in permanent special education units (NDET, 2023). The current project investigated the potential relationship between the type of placement of students with additional needs with theperception of students' well-being. In this context, relevant factors in measuring the quality of the inclusion climate in schools are students'social participation and acceptance among friends, happiness, and belonging in the school community (Sharma et al., 2022; Schwab et al.,2018). Objective: The objective of this paper is to investigate parental reports about the well-being of students receiving special education in regular schools,special schools and special education groups. Method: Through an internet-based survey, we collected data about parental perspectives about inclusion [Parental Perception of Inclusion ClimateScale (Sharma et al., 2022)] and compared it between parents of children who were attending ordinary schools and special schools/groupsas dichotomous independent variables. We used individual items and three sub-factor scores on the Parental scale (Sharma et al., 2022)]related as dependent variables. The findings of the study will be discussed with possible implications for the special and inclusive educationsectors in Norway and other countries
Nordahl-Hansen, Anders; Dechsling, Anders; Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum & Ulriksen, Line Britt (2024). Pågående studie om foreldres holdninger til skoletilbud ønsker deltakere til undersøkelse. [Internet]. stiftelsensor.no. Full text in Research Archive
Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline & Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum (2023). Professional learning community - contribution to an inclusive school? Full text in Research Archive
Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum & Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline (2023). Professional learning communities - contribution to an inclusive school? Full text in Research Archive

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Published Aug. 10, 2021 2:44 PM - Last modified Mar. 8, 2026 2:58 PM