On the necessary co-existence of special and inclusive education

TLDR

Special and inclusive education remain distinct yet intertwined concepts in policy and practice, despite ongoing debate. The paper examines the historical evolution of special and inclusive education, assesses whether inclusive education can replace special education, and argues for a clear distinction between special educators’ support roles and inclusive education’s goal of removing participation barriers for marginalized groups. The authors analyze how conceptions of special and inclusive education have shifted since the Salamanca declaration and evaluate the possibility of inclusive education supplanting special education.

Abstract

While many distinctions between 'special' and 'inclusive' education have been made and continue to be forcefully debated, the two concepts remain strongly evident in policy and practice in many countries. This paper discusses the interrelated history of these concepts. It explores how conceptualisations of them have changed since Salamanca and reflects on whether inclusive education has, can or should replace special education. It considers the extent to which 'special' and 'inclusive' education are understood as the same or different today. The paper argues for a clear a distinction to be made between how special educators can work in support of inclusive education and the task of inclusive education which addresses the barriers to participation faced by members of marginalised groups.