Unlocking Potential: Access, Participation and Progress through Inclusive Education

The definition of inclusivity has evolved in the 21st century to the point where we no longer simply focus on improving access but also on promoting participation and progress in education, and in other aspects of life. This has allowed many young people and adults, who may previously have been denied opportunities because of their cognitive or physical disabilities and conditions, to have their talents recognised and to play an integral role our world.

At the same time, we are beginning to frame conditions and disabilities in new ways: we no longer see people who are ‘different’ as being the problem but instead identify the barriers that have been created by society – intentionally or otherwise – which undermine an individual’s ability to succeed. To do so, we usually need to explore our relationship between and interactions with our environment, context and other people.

In educational terms, this leads us to reflect on how we design and deliver our curriculum and assessments, the approaches we use for learning and teaching, and the ways in which we support and develop both our teachers and students.

In this keynote, we will look at the latest thinking and how we might translate theory into practice in our own contexts.