4 - Moving towards Schools for All

Summary

The concept of societal inclusion has achieved international prominence recently; it is frequently referred to in the policies adopted by international bodies and is consistently referenced in education, health and social welfare policy documents produced by national governments. However, despite this prominence, societal inclusion remains an elusive concept - an established definition of its’ meaning has not emerged. This chapter will focus on the emergence and development of inclusion within the context of the shift towards a more inclusive society. A historical overview will examine how segregated educational provision became an established feature of educational provision for disabled children and young people. The origins of change are examined within the context of greater recognition of the exclusion experienced by marginalised groups within society. The move towards more integrated provision will be addressed, along with the inherent shortcomings that made these developments increasingly outdated as inclusive perspectives gained prominence. The influence of supranational bodies who advocated for a more socially inclusive society on national developments in a number of countries will be examined. The increasing prominence of educational inclusion policies within education systems worldwide will be analysed and the implications for how all educational provision should be structured will be explored.