ABSTRACT
Disability is a global concern, and while some have asked about the extent to which a social model is applicable outside developed countries, there has been a worldwide recognition of the rights of disabled people and of their inequitable access to resources and opportunities. The collection of disability data enables schools to monitor their effectiveness in achieving this, to go beyond the rhetoric laid down in plans and schemes and provide evidence that they are meeting the needs of all children. The field of disability has been dominated by passionate arguments and oppositional standpoints. Schools have an important and proactive role in shaping the community both inside and outside the school gates; it's not simply about meeting the needs of the individual child. Developing a culture that promotes participation, values diversity and does not use single measures of achievement as markers of its success are important steps towards achieving social justice for disabled children.
