ERIC Number: EJ862831
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Dec
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1354-4187
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Barriers to Inclusive Education in Ireland: The Case for Pupils with a Diagnosis of Intellectual and/or Pervasive Developmental Disabilities
Watson, Sheelah Flatman
British Journal of Learning Disabilities, v37 n4 p277-284 Dec 2009
Equality of access to mainstream education environments for all, and more specifically for children with disabilities, is the documented policy of the United Nations, European Union and the Irish Nation State. Transition from historical segregation practices requires States' commitment to the provision of relevant resources. This paper argues that although access to mainstream environments has improved, lack of capacity at multiple levels within the system to provide resources to enhance the "habitus" of teaching personnel and parents and to meet the special education needs of pupils with intellectual and/or pervasive developmental disabilities impedes access to enrolments in mainstream primary education environments. Pierre Bourdieu's Theory of Practice and Symbolic Power, which highlights how the accruals of various resources, termed capital, affect one's "habitus" and power relationships in the social arena, is utilised to examine the enrolment practices that are resource sensitive. The paper offers recommendations to enhance a positive "habitus" and universal enrolment practices.
Descriptors: Inclusive Schools, Developmental Disabilities, Foreign Countries, Barriers, Access to Education, Equal Education, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Mainstreaming, Special Needs Students, Teacher Competencies, Elementary Education, Mental Retardation
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ireland
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A