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SUMMARY:An inclusive approach to the networking of knowledge about educati
 on in Southern contexts: the role of EENET - Dr. Susie Miles\, Senior Lect
 urer\, School of Education\, University of Manchester
DTSTART:20101110T140000Z
DTEND:20101110T153000Z
UID:TALK25987@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Susannah Lacon
DESCRIPTION:Dilemmas in special education and inclusion\n\nSeminar Series 
 – Michaelmas 2010\n\nThe familiar terms ‘inclusion’ and ‘special e
 ducation’ have always been subjected to critique yet both terms appear t
 o retain utility in relation to practice. While policy has encouraged prac
 titioners to move towards educational models in which diversity is champio
 ned\, there seems to continue to be a need to acknowledge and respond to t
 he particular needs of defined groups of pupils and specific individuals.\
 n\nThe debates and practical uncertainties arising out of this scenario ha
 ve been characterised as revolving around ‘the dilemma of difference’.
   Essentially this formulation acknowledges that while systems of schoolin
 g might strive to provide equality of opportunity and unrestricted partici
 pation for all\, some pupils appear to require approaches to teaching and 
 learning that acknowledge their individual differences and their additiona
 l needs.\n\nMany issues and questions arise from this dilemma.  Some resea
 rch has raised questions about whether specialist pedagogies actually exis
 t\; other commentators argue that adaptation and differentiation are strat
 egies that can be used to promote meaningful participation and inclusion. 
  Some people argue that systems of identification and specialist support d
 ivide and isolate pupils from their peers and lead to marginalisation\; ot
 her researchers suggest that acknowledging and helping people to recognise
  and acknowledge difference can have constructive and protective outcomes 
 for individuals.\n\nAs colleagues in the Faculty of Education’s ‘Educa
 tion\, Equality and Development’ Academic Group\, we are interested in t
 hese debates and would like to invite you to contribute to a seminar serie
 s  in order to take these discussions further. We intend that these semina
 rs will explore responses that emphasise ways of meeting educational prior
 ities that are founded in research evidence and the productive application
  of theory to the development of practice.  \n\nI will begin by introducin
 g the Enabling Education Network (EENET)\, a unique international resource
  on inclusive and enabling education which prioritises the information nee
 ds of practitioners in Southern countries. One of EENET’s core beliefs i
 s that some of the most interesting and pioneering practice in making educ
 ation accessible for all is happening in countries of the South - contrary
  to the commonly held view in many Northern countries that a minimum level
  of resources is required for inclusion to be successful. I will use photo
 graphs of learners in a variety of educational settings in Southern contex
 ts to invite reflections on the meaning of inclusive education\, and to hi
 ghlight the culturally determined nature of this concept\, which is curren
 tly being promoted on a large scale by international agencies. I provide e
 xamples of inspiring practice from Lesotho\, Zambia\, Kenya and Uganda. Fi
 nally I reflect on some key principles of inclusive networking and ways of
  doing contextually relevant research\, while considering some of the dang
 ers of the inappropriate exportation of Northern concepts. \n
LOCATION:Faculty of Education\, 184 Hills Road  Room GS3\, Donald McIntyre
  Building
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