Interrupting the Prevailing Discourse on Special Education: Political and Sociological Perspectives Offered by Len Barton

Abstract

This chapter explores the contribution of the work of Len Barton to the evolving inclusive education discourse; in particular his 1986 article, The Politics of Special Educational Needs. In this article, he discusses the influence of a sociological lens to problematize the current special education policy, practices, and inquiry. The future directions piece at the end of the article called for teacher awareness of the relationship between the personal and political. I felt I was a living, breathing example of the teacher who Len Barton was talking about. I chose this article because of its particular pertinence to my continuing understandings about the phenomenon of special education and subsequently my research with teachers of students with profound and multiple learning difficulties.

Citation

Jones, P. (2015), "Interrupting the Prevailing Discourse on Special Education: Political and Sociological Perspectives Offered by Len Barton", Foundations of Inclusive Education Research (International Perspectives on Inclusive Education, Vol. 6), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 73-86. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-363620150000006012