Using research to foster inclusion and equity within the context of New Labour education reforms

In recent years, inclusion has become a policy emphasis in many countries as education systems struggle to respond to the United Nations ‘Education for All’ agenda (Ainscow et al. 2006b). In England, Labour governments have published a range of guidance documents to schools which imply not only that schools should educate increasing numbers of students with disabilities, but also that they should concern themselves with increasing the participation and achievements of all groups of learners who have historically been marginalized.