Improving Schools Developing Inclusion Mel Ainscow, Alan Dyson and Tony Booth Despite the efforts that have been made to bring about improvements in schools, some children and young people remain marginalised by current arrangements. The development of more inclusive schools remains one of the biggest challenges facing education systems throughout the world. However, inclusion remains a complex and controversial issue, and the development of inclusive practices in schools is not well understood. Improving Schools, Developing Inclusion uses evidence from in-depth research to provide new insights as to how this important agenda should be addressed. The authors challenge many existing assumptions about school improvement and educational reform, and propose that the development of inclusive practices will only be achieved by engaging in dialogue about the deeply held beliefs of teachers and policy makers. In so doing, they provide a new way of thinking about how schools can be made more inclusive. The approach to inclusive development recommended in the book has major implications for policy and practice in the field. It looks at: Implications for the work of school leaders How staff teams work can together in order to address barriers to participation and learning How schools can collect and use evidence in order to strengthen their practices The sorts of critical and alternative perspectives to which schools need access The implications for relationships between schools, local authorities and researchers At a time when policy-makers and practitioners are searching for more effective ways of responding to student diversity, this challenging book offers powerful messages as to what needs to be done to move schools in a more inclusive direction.

Mel Ainscow, School of Education, University of Manchester, UK. Tony Booth, Canterbury Christ Church University, UK. Alan Dyson, School of Education, University of Manchester, UK.