Wales is often compared favourably to other countries because of its commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and lower levels of school exclusions. Systematic analysis of policy documents reveals the dominance of a rights-based discourse in approaching the challenge of school exclusions, which are explained in terms of…

This paper starts with the increasing discussions on juridification in education. Concerning theorizing on such processes, we examine the poor implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, CRPD (2008) in the school sector of Germany. The paper considers the…

When undertaking research with young people in educational contexts researchers are likely to encounter many challenges. This paper is a discussion of the barriers encountered by a researcher who sought to capture the educational journeys of excluded young people. The study aimed to move beyond young people simply participating in research to…

The unjust schooling experiences of many disabled students is the impetus for this conceptual paper, which investigates the complexity involved in developing future teachers' knowledge and commitment to putting into practice disability rights-related provisions. The paper focuses on the components of Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on…

More than two decades ago, UNESCO's (1994) "Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education" galvanised the inclusion movement by providing a framework for inclusive education. The Statement succeeded in raising awareness of the concept of inclusion internationally, yet genuine inclusion is still the exception and…

Inclusive teaching places importance on teachers providing opportunities for students to have some input in their learning, and this is often referred to in the literature as student voice; with Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child typically used to justify this practice. However, student voice is defined and implemented…

Student democratic participation in schools is often limited to involvement in school councils with associated dangers of tokenism and speaking for others. There is limited space for students to have a voice in what is learned due to mandated state curricula and scepticism about student capacity, even though consultation with students about…

This article focuses on the importance of highlighting students' role as informal leaders and their efforts to take on active roles in decision-making processes. Students' involvement in such roles entails an imperative process for the development of school inclusion. Contemporary literature has repeatedly focused on the multiple roles student…

Inclusive education is a core initiative of United Nations organizations and national governments around the world. In this article, we chronicle the development of a 2019 inclusive education policy in Lesotho by examining the role of disabled persons organizations (DPOs) and their policy advocacy. A standpoint epistemological approach is used,…

Schools are chief among the social institutions impacted by migrant flows as key sites of integration and support for migrant children. This article focuses on micro- and meso-level interactions and their importance to experiences of belonging and socio-educational integration for migrant children. It explores outcomes from qualitative research in…

Research on inclusive education (IE) documents benefits for both students with disabilities and students without disabilities. Internationally, IE is frequently aligned with the Salamanca Statement and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Salamanca Statement affirms 'the right to education of every…

This paper targets the principle of full inclusion as articulated by Article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and General Comment #4 through an analysis of the CRPD Committee's Concluding Observations for Poland, Germany, and Australia. We find inherent tensions and dialectical contradictions between the ideals of…

During the past thirty years, student (or pupil) voice has gained attention in education policy especially in many Western countries, accelerated by both the acceptance of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1990 and an emphasis on accountability in schools. Multifaceted and complex, student voice in schools…

Ireland's system of special education has undergone unprecedented change over the last three decades. Following major policy developments in the mid-2000s which emphasised inclusive education, there have been changes to special education school personnel and funding structures which seek to include greater numbers of students with disabilities in…

It is considered necessary to support the participation of children socially, and media tools having a significant effect on individuals today should reflect child participation. The aim of this study was to examine the right to participate in cartoons prepared for primary school children. The study was conducted with a descriptive survey model.…