In Canada, Aboriginal people remain highly disadvantaged relative to the general population. Structural factors operate in conjunction with cultural factors and other social practices like racism, such that they cannot be explained away through conventional analysis and isolated interventions. Schooling for Aboriginal people must incorporate and maintain Aboriginal cultures and prepare students for success in modern society. The strongest benefits are observed when Aboriginal culture is integrated into all aspects of programming and school culture, regardless of improvements fostered by specific initiatives or interventions. Teachers and administrators successful in working with Aboriginal students and communities are those who maintain active engagement with their learners. This involvement requires continual sensitivity to cultural and social factors outside and inside the school setting, open and caring relations with students, and the ability to serve as facilitator and counsellor rather than purely as instructor. Regardless of the extent of agreement on principles of Aboriginal control over education, it is essential to alleviate real obstacles that hamper effective control. Education systems and their personnel must be sensitive to special needs and forms of diversity in communities in which Aboriginal people live. Three case studies illustrate how successful Aboriginal schools focus not just on educational factors, but on structural and economic ones such as emotional and physical safety, achievable day-to-day tasks, democracy, personal and collective justice, and a comfortable physical environment. (Contains 111 references.) (TD)