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Making Education for All inclusive: where next?

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Abstract

This paper argues that a common sense of purpose around inclusive education, together with a consistent use of language, is essential if Education for All (EFA) strategies are to become more inclusive. This does not require the introduction of new techniques; rather it involves: collaboration within and between schools, closer links between schools and communities, networking across contexts, and the collection and use of contextually relevant evidence. The authors draw on research evidence relating to teaching and learning, school development, leadership and the development of education systems. This research is mostly from economically developed contexts, but it is also drawn from the experience of a UNESCO teacher education project which was conducted in over 80 countries and case study material gathered by the Enabling Education Network (EENET), which supports practitioners in documenting their experience of working towards more inclusive education, primarily in the countries of the South.

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Acknowledgements

We must acknowledge the contributions of many of our colleagues to the ideas presented in this paper, particularly Tony Booth, Alan Dyson, Andy Howes and Mel West.

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Correspondence to Mel Ainscow.

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Ainscow, M., Miles, S. Making Education for All inclusive: where next?. Prospects 38, 15–34 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-008-9055-0

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