The presentation is based on an understanding of inclusion as an expression of a neoliberal discourse, articulating the cohesion of society through the duty of all individuals to participate within it. From this perspective, inclusion and participation are not only concerned with issues of solidarity, democracy, and the rights of all people to an education. Within a neoliberal logic, everyone must take responsibility for their own inclusion; testing cultures, realized through diagnosis and medication, are one way individuals can achieve this goal. Through a common analytical framework of inclusion and neoliberalism, the presentation will present a comparative analysis of Denmark and Norway as case studies. One commonality shared by these two countries is their cultures are dominated by the same political understandings with respect to inclusion and cohesion. Legislation of the two countries, however, differs. In Norway, all students are entitled to special educational assistance if they have special needs. In Denmark, not all students have the same right to special educational assistance even though they may have special needs. Testing and diagnosis can therefore help to legitimise but also to not legitimise such needs. Accordingly, the two countries employ different strategies to achieve the same goal: helping all citizens to do their duty and find opportunities to participate in society through education. In Denmark, participation is achieved through inclusion in ordinary schools. In Norway, the strategy is to achieve participation through various learning communities. Testing and diagnosis consequently have different functions, roles, and effects. The comparative analysis will identify how various inclusion strategies and different ways to test and diagnosis contribute to achieving the target of everyone participating in society through education.

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