ABSTRACT
The idea of individual autonomy not only functions as an aim, but it also operates as a means of organizing learning in schools. Pupils are constantly addressed as pupils who are, must, or at least should be able to govern themselves. Based on an educational ethnography, it is the research interest of this chapter to empirically analyse these performed expectations and their relation to disability in German secondary schools that consider themselves inclusive. Individual autonomy is empirically viewed as an ability that is implicitly expected in the classroom, and it is shown that due to this expectation, some pupils cannot continuously participate in the lessons. Based on theoretical perspectives of Disability Studies and especially Studies in Ableism, the analyses show three ways by which the ideal of individual autonomy is maintained: by hiding external influences on abilities, by allowing deviation for some pupils instead of questioning the expectation itself, and by explaining ongoing deviations with disabilities. Even though an equal opportunity to comprehensively participate in the classroom is one of the main aims of inclusion, the ableist norm of individual autonomy obviously is superior to this norm of inclusion.
