Introduction. Inclusive education policies mandate accommodations for students with special educational needs (SEN) to ensure equitable opportunities. Yet these supports can clash with teachers' meritocratic beliefs of "same rules for all," risking subtle devaluation of grades and competence judgements—a backlash effect—of accommodated performance.
Purpose. This study examined whether teachers systematically devalue the performance of students with SEN who receive accommodations, whether this bias varies by student gender, and whether fairness perceptions mitigate it.
Method. Across three preregistered vignette experiments (N = 1,214 French pre-service and in-service teachers), participants graded two math tests from equally performing primary-school students. One student was described as having ADHD and receiving reduced-exercise accommodations; the other was a non-SEN peer. We manipulated: (a) student gender (Studies 1-2: male vs. female contexts; Study 3: cross-gender [boy without SEN vs. girl with SEN] vs. same-gender pairings), and (b) performance-based threat (Studies 1-2: equal vs. slightly better performance by the student with SEN). Outcomes were assigned grades and perceived competence; perceived fairness of the accommodation was measured as a moderator.
Results. Across studies, teachers gave lower grades and competence ratings to the accommodated student with SEN than to an equally performing non-SEN peer (backlash). This devaluation did not differ by student gender in Studies 1-2, and the cross-gender contrast in Study 3 did not intensify backlash. Threat did not moderate the effect. Higher fairness perceptions were associated with smaller devaluation, indicating a tractable lever for inclusive assessment.
Conclusions. Accommodations can inadvertently trigger meritocratic backlash in evaluation, not contingent on student gender. Policy and training should frame accommodations as fairness tools, equip teachers to calibrate grading to demonstrated competence, and cultivate fairness perceptions. This work aligns with the aims of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and Goal 5 (Gender Equality).