Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book draws on research into school and classroom effectiveness, educational sociology and psychology, stress and job satisfaction in teaching, as well as in special education. It aims to show how this may happen to the education in ordinary schools of children with special needs, and hopes to promote amongst teachers discussion and evaluation of current practice. The book is concerned mainly with pupils who have special needs, but who would not normally be regarded as candidates for separate special schools or classes. In other words, it is concerned with the majority of pupils regarded by the Warnock committee as having special needs. The book is concerned with much broader but, in authors view, neglected issues of I.e.a. policy, school organisation and classroom practice. These broader issues determine the attitudes of teachers towards pupils with special needs.