Inclusion: how far have we come and how far can we go?

Abstract

The question of whether inclusion has gone too far is being raised by a growing number of people. In Sweden, this has been formalised in a governmental declaration that also recommends that children with special needs should have access to specialist segregated provision. In this paper, the question of how far we have come towards inclusive education is considered and the barriers to progress, that come from the system, attitudes and outcomes, are identified. In reflecting on how far we can go, the case will be made for recognising the diversity and creativity among two key groups: teachers and school leaders and researchers. Teachers’ and school leaders’ capabilities in finding inclusive possibilities for their students, particularly during the pandemic, will be illustrated with the findings of an international research project, DIGITAL (Diversifying Inclusion and Growth: Inclusive Technologies for Accessible Learning) in the time of Coronavirus. The capacities of researchers at a Swedish University, seeking to examine inclusion from cross-cultural, intersectional and interdisciplinary perspectives and to model inclusive practice, will also be highlighted. The hope is to provoke discussion of how to ensure teachers and researchers can fully contribute to inclusion and to consider how far we can go.