What is the purpose? Reflections on inclusion and special education from a capability perspective

Author(s):

Solveig Reindal

Conference:

ECER 2009

Network:

4. Inclusive Education

Format:

Paper

Session Information

04 SES 07 B, Meaning-Making and Inclusive School Cultures

Paper Session

Time:

2009-09-29

15:30-17:00

Room:

NIG, HS B

Chair:

David Skidmore

Contribution

This paper investigates what contribution the capability approach developed by Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum can give to the issue of inclusion. By posing the question “What is the purpose of inclusion?”, the paper proposes to answer this query by investigating how the capability approach is able to deal with the rationales for inclusion that are presented in the literature. In contemporary writings, the rationale for inclusion can at least be divided into three: 1) Ethical and socio-political, 2) Ontological, and 3) Epistemological. The article argues that the enterprise of special education must be able to formulate a framework that takes into consideration all these three rationales. This implies an adequate understanding of disability, difference, and an understanding of inclusion that is able to answer the purpose of inclusion without neglecting core educational values.

Method

Theoretical paper. The method is philosophical analysis using conceptual analysis to “break down “ (i.e. analyzing) philosophical issues. From a philosophical perspective the issue at stake within the inclusion debate, is to investigate the rationales for inclusion and their philosophical underpinnings. This is done in order to gain knowledge or a better understanding of the particular philosophical issue in which the concept inclusion is involved.

Expected Outcomes

The paper intends to show that the capability approach is able to give a theoretical framework for inclusion without compromising core educational values. Furthermore, it suggests that this approach might be a step forward in conceptualising inclusion.

References

References Alkire, S. (2005). Subjective quantitative studies of human agency. Social Indicators Research, 74(1), 217-260. Allan, J. (2003). Inclusion, participation and democracy what is the purpose? Dodrecht: Kluwer Academic Publ. Allan, J. (2005). Inclusion as an ethical project. In S. Tremain (Ed.), Foucault and the government of disability (pp. 281-298). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. Allan, J. (2008). Rethinking inclusive education the philosophers of difference in practice. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic. Barton, L. (1988). The politics of special educational needs. London: Falmer Press. Barton, L. (Ed.). (1996). Disability and society : emerging issues and insights London Longman. Biesta, G. J. J. (2007a). "Don't count me in" Democracy, education and the question of inclusion. Nordisk Pedagogik, 27(1), 18-31. Biesta, G. J. J. (2007b). Education and the democratic person: Towards a political conception of democratic education. Teachers College Record, 109(3), 740-769. Burchardt, T. (2004). Capabilities and disability: the capabilities framework and the social model of disability. Disability & Society, 19(7), 735-751. Cigman, R. (2007). A question of universality: Inclusive education and the principle of respect. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 41(4), 775-793. Edwards, S. D. (2005). Disability : definitions, value and identity Oxford Radcliffe Publishing. Gallagher, D. J., Heshusius, L., Iano, R. P., & Skrtic, T. M. (2004). Challenging orthodoxy in special education : dissenting voices. Denver, Colo.: Love Pub. Hegarty, S. (2001). Inclusive Education—a case to answer Journal of Moral Education, 30(1), 243-249. Hinchliffe, G. (2007). Truth and the capability of learning. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 41(2), 221-232. Nilholm, C. (2006). Special Education, Inclusion and Democracy. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 21(4), 431-445. Nordenfelt, L. (2003). Action theory, disability and ICF. Disability and Rehabilitation, 25(18), 1075-1079. Nussbaum, M. C., Sen, A., & Research, W. I. f. D. E. (1993). The quality of life. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Nussbaum, M. C. (2006). Frontiers of justice: disability, nationality, species membership. Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Oliver, M. (1990). The politics of disablement : a sociological approach. New York: St. Martin's Press. Oliver, M. (1996). Defining Impairment and Disability: issues at stake. In L. Barton (Ed.), Exploring the Divide: Illness and Disability (pp. 39-54). Leeds: The Disability Press. Reindal, S. M. (1998). Disability, personal autonomy and the subject - a dilemma in special needs education? Oslo: Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo. Reindal, S. M. (1999). Independence, dependence, interdependence: some reflections on the subject and personal autonomy. Disability & Society, 14(3), 353-367. Reindal, S. M. (2007) Funksjonshemming, kroppen og subjektet noen grunnlagsproblemer innenfor spesialpedagogikk, [Disability, body and the subject. Some fundamental questions within special education] (Bergen, Fagbokforlaget). Reindal, S. M. (2008). A social relational model of disability: a theoretical framework for special needs education? European Journal of Special Needs Education, 23(2), 135-146. Reindal, S. M. (2009). Disability, capability, and special education: Towards a capability-based theory. Forthcoming in: European Journal of Special Needs Education. Robeyns, I. (2006). Three models of education: rights, capabilities and human capital. Theory and Research in Education, 4(1), 69-84. Sen, A. (1992). Inequality reexamined. New York: Russell Sage Foundation. Sen, A. (1999a). Commodities and capabilities. New Dehli: Oxford University Press. Sen, A. (1999b). Development as freedom. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Sen, A. (2005). Human Rights and Capabilities Journal of Human Development, 6(2), 151-166. Simons, M., & Masschelein, J. (2005). Inclusive education for exclusive pupils. In S. Tremain (Ed.), Foucault and the government of disability (pp. 208-229). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. Skrtic, T. M. (1991). Behind special education: a critical analysis of professional culture and school organization. Denver: Love Publishing company. Skrtic, T. M. (1995a). Power/Knowledge and Paradigme: A postmodern View of the Professions. In T. M. Skrtic (Ed.), Disability & Democracy. Reconstructing (Special) Education for Postmodernity. New York: Teacher College, Columbia University. Skrtic, T. M. (Ed.). (1995b). Disability and democracy : reconstructing (special) education for postmodernity. New York Teachers College Press. Swain, J., Finkelstein, V., French, S., & Oliver, M. (Eds.). (1993). Disabling barriers : enabling environments London Sage Publications ; in association with the Open University. Terzi, L. (2004). The Social Model of Disability: A Philosophical Critique. Journal of Applied Philosophy, 21(2), 141-157. Terzi, L. (2005a). A capability perspective on impairment, disability and special needs. Towards social justice in education. Theory and Research in Education, 3(2), 197-223. Terzi, L. (2005b). Beyond the Dilemma of Difference: The Capability Approach to Disability and Special Educational Needs. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 39(3), 443-459. Terzi, L. (2008). Justice and equality in education a capability perspective on disability and special educational needs. New York: Continuum. Thomas, C. (2004). How is disability understood? An examination of sociological approaches. Disability & Society, 19(6), 569-583. Thomas, C. (2007). Sociologies of disability and illness contested ideas in disability studies and medical sociology. Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan. UNESCO. (1994). The Salamanca statement and framework for action on special needs education adopted by the world conference on special needs education: access and quality. [Paris]: Unesco. Unterhalter, E. (2003) Crossing disciplinary boundaries: The potential of Sen's capability approach for sociologists of education. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 24(5), 665-669.

Author Information

Solveig Reindal

NLA School of Religion, Education and Intercultural studies

Education

Bergen

158

Update Modus of this Database

The current conference programme can be browsed in the conference management system (conftool) and, closer to the conference, in the conference app.
This database will be updated with the conference data after ECER.

Search the ECER Programme

Search for keywords and phrases in "Text Search"
Restrict in which part of the abstracts to search in "Where to search"
Search for authors and in the respective field.
For planning your conference attendance, please use the conference app, which will be issued some weeks before the conference and the conference agenda provided in conftool.
If you are a session chair, best look up your chairing duties in the conference system (Conftool) or the app.