Inclusion currently forms the basis of educational policy for students with a
disability in Australia, the USA, the UK, and in most western countries. It can
be argued that there are three principal drivers of inclusive practice: social justice
principles, legislative requirements, and research findings or evidence (Foreman
and Arthur-Kelly, 2008). First, the discourse that argues inclusive education is based
upon the ideals of social justice (Artiles, Harris-Murri and Rostenberg, 2008; Polat,
2011) and appropriate and accessible education for all is, in essence, a matter of
social justice. Internationally, this issue has come into focus over the past cen-
tury with the development of a series of statements and declarations on human
rights, which include the right to education for all (UNESCO, 1990), the rights of
people with disabilities (UN General Assembly, 2007), and the right to equitable
and accessible education for people with disabilities (UNESCO, 1994).
A second factor impacting on inclusion is the governing legislation and legal
policy that mandates the right for all students to access an equitable and appropri-
ate education. For example, changes to legislation in both the United States (e.g.,
Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) of 1990, modified 1997 and amended
in 2004) and British legislation (e.g., 1993 Education Act), saw a move to pre-
scribed educational services for students with disabilities. In 1994 the Salamanca
Statement (UNESCO) called on all governments to adopt an inclusive education
policy through the enrolment of all students in regular schools.
In Australia, the Disability Discrimination Act (Commonwealth Attorney
General’s Department, 1992) and the Disability Standards for Education
(Commonwealth Attorney General’s Department, 2005) set out to eliminate dis-
crimination against a person on the grounds of disability and reinforce the right
to education of students with a disability on the same basis as students without a
disability. Although the Disability Discrimination Act does not specify the setting

9

THE ROLE OF SCHOOL COMMUNITIES

IN FACILITATING SOCIAL INCLUSION

Cathy Little