ABSTRACT
It is worthwhile looking at some overall principles and ideas that are currently guiding educational and social philosophies towards pupils with physical disabilities and medical conditions. Despite the title of this book, the two so-called categories of pupils are not the same. Within each of these categories, defined in the Code of Practice, there is such a widely differing variety of needs, abilities, circumstances and characteristics as to make almost a nonsense of them. In the following chapters, it should be remembered that advice and guidance of this sort relate to general features and are intended to generate a systematic, sensitive and positive response to the kind of problems found. This is not a detailed, prescriptive manual of actions you should take in any specific case. ‘Rules’ and legislation offer, at best, an overall vision of the long-term direction in which to move. They are not solutions in themselves and flexibility for individuals is of paramount importance.
