ABSTRACT
The link schemes stemmed from the shared convictions of the adults involved. These convictions rested on the view that education should be concerned with more than the acquisition of subject knowledge. The staff believed that education should equip children, socially and emotionally, for living harmoniously with people different from themselves. One mechanism to foster this was to arrange for pupils to work with a more diverse group of children and young people than those found within each school. This chapter looks at preparatory work for the link schemes, how sessions were planned, adults’ roles and resource issues. More generally, the chapter examines research evidence about, and associated strategies for, fostering positive attitudes towards disabled people, developing children’s understanding of disability. Some strategies for building up communication skills likely to be important in integrated classrooms are also reviewed.
