ABSTRACT
After the death of Mao in 1976 there was a turning away from the aim of a vocational curriculum for all students towards the reconstruction of higher education for a selected minority. During the 1980s, this elitism was tempered by a renewal of commitment to mass education. The aim of universal attendance, together with changing attitudes towards disabled people and those who experience difficulties in learning, has led to the extension of special educational provision across China. The scale of the project is huge and the demand for qualified teachers urgent. The Chinese approach is pragmatic and learning support is seen as a specialised task, wherever it is provided. So far, there has been little reform of the mainstream itself, which remains highly centralised and competitive.
