ABSTRACT
Issues of inclusion go well beyond the confines of the classroom. Inclusion is a ‘societal’ thing – not an educational slogan. The more we delve into the nature of the barriers to achievement, the more they become linked to choice, opportunity and strategies for learning (Cornwall 1995, 1996) than to the previous focus on the characteristics of physical conditions, the medical condition itself or selective physical access issues. The basic model for equality of opportunity encompasses the attitudes of others towards an individual, the physical environment and procedures and practices in daily working life (see Figure 1). They are all interconnected and complementary to each other, but catering for medical and therapeutic needs and providing an adequate physical environment does not necessarily provide equality of opportunity in learning.
