ABSTRACT
In an ideal world, there would be no need for equal opportunities policies. Some staff responsible for special needs have argued for a separate special needs policy rather than an inclusion in an equal opportunities policy. The establishment of equal opportunities policies provides the means of raising questions about decision-making within an institution. The creation of equal opportunities policies entails for the participants an engagement with conflicts of interest and interpretation. Making equal opportunities policies work must be the concern of all personnel within the institution. Thus the policy should apply not only to lecturers but also to all staff. A pattern has developed in many colleges in which a separate policy for special needs has been introduced alongside an equal opportunities policy. One of the advantages of setting special needs in an equal opportunities context is that it gives centrality to 'curricula for all' issues.
