The cultural understanding of inclusion and its development within a centralised system

Abstract

This paper discusses inclusion in relation to centralised systems, in particular the constraints central control makes upon decisions at school level. The discussion is empowered by an evaluative case study research undertaken to understand the development of inclusion in contexts where flexible teaching and curriculum change are sometimes hard to find. In particular, based on a systems approach, this research describes and evaluates an attempt in a Greek primary school to implement inclusive practices, aiming to analyse the problems and prospects of inclusion in a highly centralised system, entirely controlled by the Ministry of Education. The inclusive practices developed in this school were based on a collaborative teacher model, offering new roles to mainstream teachers. The research data come from a diary, group interviews, classroom and meetings observations, and document analysis. The study reveals several obstacles to inclusion, besides the good practices which promote it. The main argument is that a centralised system favours the integration of students with disabilities more than their inclusion.