Synopsis of Special Education Reformed: Inclusion - Beyond Rhetoric?

In this volume, a respected group of researchers and practitioners, who share concerns for equity and excellence in education, write about their thoughts and concerns for the future of special needs education. They bring different perspectives on the value base which underpins current practice; they explore some of the pedagogic concerns which are raised by practices of inclusion; they reflect on different aspects of the processes of collaboration which may well be of considerable importance in the development of inclusive practice; and they consider the position of pressure groups in the promotion of inclusive practice. The concept of the welfare state is undergoing scrutiny and questioning; there is a growth in the level of unease surrounding questions of effectiveness with respect to current equality of opportunity policy; there is international concern about the conditions and processes of social exclusion and the prospects for social cohesion. It therefore seems timely and appropriate to ask searching questions about the material conditions which are likely to face children who get included and the prospects for the creation of more inclusive schooling.