This is the fourth publication in the Key Principles series. The first report in the Key Principles series (Key Principles in Special Needs Education – Recommendations for Policy-Makers) was based on Agency work published up to 2003. A further review of Agency work was published in 2009 (Key Principles for Promoting Quality in Inclusive Education – Recommendations for Policy-Makers). The third report, published in 2011 (Key Principles for Promoting Quality in Inclusive Education – Recommendations for Practice), focused on key principles for practice that support quality in inclusive education.
This fourth report focuses on policy development and implementation in line with a broader view of inclusion in education systems and educational opportunities. It aligns with the Agency’s mission to inform policy development and successful policy implementation at different system levels, most importantly the school level.
Highlighting fundamental issues for education systems, the Key Principles series reflects the gradual shift in the Agency’s work over the past 25 years: a shift away from a narrow focus on learners’ special educational needs and special needs education as specific provision, towards extending and improving the quality of support for learning that is generally available to all learners. This focus reflects the Agency’s increasing emphasis on being an active agent for policy change in the field of inclusive education.
A Policy Brief presenting the main messages from this report is also available: Key Principles – Supporting policy development and implementation for inclusive education: Policy Brief