Felicity Armstrong

First published in 2000. This book looks at 'inclusive' education in the context of policy and practice in a number of different countries, particularly in relation to children and young people of school age. At the heart of the idea of inclusive education lie serious issues concerning 'human rights', 'equal opportunities' and 'social justice'. The papers in this book will, hopefully, contribute to stimulating further debate and dialogue over both the conceptualisation and understanding of a cross-cultural approach to inclusion and exclusion.

First published in 2000. This book looks at 'inclusive' education in the context of policy and practice in a number of different countries, particularly in relation to children and young people of school age. At the heart of the idea of inclusive education lie serious issues concerning 'human rights', 'equal opportunities' and 'social justice'. The papers in this book will, hopefully, contribute to stimulating further debate and dialogue over both the conceptualisation and understanding of a cross-cultural approach to inclusion and exclusion.

This book recognizes the importance of an informed cross-cultural understanding of the policies and practices of different societies within the field of disability, human rights and education. It represents an attempt to critically engage with issues arising from the historical and contemporary domination of portrayals of 'the western' as advanced, democratic and exemplary, in contrast to the construction of the 'rest of the world' as backward, primitive and inferior in these fundamental areas. How human rights are understood in different contexts is a key theme in this book. Importantly, some contributors raise questions about the value of a 'human rights' model across all societies. Other contributors see the struggle for human rights as at the heart of the struggle for an inclusive society. The implications for education arising from this debate are identified, and a series of questions are raised by each author for further reflection and discussion as well as providing a stimulus for developing future research.Disability, Human Rights and Education is recommended reading for students and researchers interested in Disability Studies, inclusive education and social policy. It is also directly relevant to professionals and policy makers in the field seeking a greater understanding of cross-cultural perspectives.