This article argues that the progressive education policies introduced into New Zealand special education (SE) services during the late 1980s were sabotaged by neoliberal policies. The vision of inclusive education for students with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities was swept up in a wave of successive ideological policies and…

The concept of inclusion in the New Zealand legislative and policy environment is articulated in a liberal human rights discourse intended to redress past practices of segregation and exclusion. Such discourse has provided the early childhood sector with new ways to speak about disability and inclusion. There is, however, a growing body of…

The purpose of this article is to review literature related to the impact of policy and legislation on Maori children with special needs. The historical perceptions of disability for Maori will be discussed and the impacts of western influences and policy will be reviewed. The article investigates relevant studies and literature, both national and…

This paper uses Positioning Theory, a theoretical framework within Discursive Psychology, to explore the positioning of children with special educational needs in the legislation of Britain, New Zealand and the Republic of Ireland. In terms of positioning the child with special educational needs as a person, the human rights legislation in all…

Since 1948 when the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all students have been declared the right to education. The rights of disabled students have not been explicitly addressed, however, and each country has developed their own rules and regulations. Although similarities exist among the different countries,…

The involvement of persons with disabilities in formal decision-making processes is thought to have a range of benefits. However, research suggests that participatory processes may fail to match normative ideals. This study examines the participation of persons with disabilities in the development of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of…

In the New Zealand education system, as in other countries, legislation and early childhood policy has been developed to support equity, social justice and democratic participation for children with disabilities and their families. However, despite this non-discriminatory and inclusive policy and legislative environment, some children with…

Mechanisms of selection and control are utilized in both farming and special education. In a nation where sheep outnumber the population at a ratio of 10 to 1, the processes of drafting and selection have been refined over 150 years of New Zealand focusing on its agricultural primary production. Practices of sheep farming offer an interesting…

In schools today inclusion involves a challenge to attitudes and expectations within educational communities. "The New Zealand Disability Strategy" (Minister for Disability Issues, 2001), is a guide for government action to promote a more inclusive society. Out of its 15 Objectives, Objective 1 encourages and educates the community and…

Ethical and legal issues involving provision of medical treatment to seriously ill handicapped persons are considered. Legislation and court cases (in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand) on withholding treatment from seriously ill infants are reviewed. It is concluded that the presence of handicap does not justify withholding treatment.…

Addresses issues relating to the inclusion and exclusion of young children with disabilities in regular early childhood settings. Analyzes statements from parents, early childhood educators, and support staff as representing a number of discourses that are the context within which disability and provisions for children with disabilities are…

The current state of rehabilitation for persons with disabilities in the Asia and Pacific Region is outlined in a series of national or regional descriptions. The descriptions focus on such aspects as the incidence of disabilities, education, demographic and economic factors, attitudes, government policy and initiatives, non-government initiatives…

As part of a Unesco study of its member states, this case study reviews New Zealand's services for the education of disabled persons. The policy objective in special education in New Zealand is to ensure that provision is made for the education of all persons with special teaching needs within a program which is universal, integral with other…

Recent changes in New Zealand educational administration are empowering parents to seek integration into mainstream classrooms for their children with disabilities. These changes include an emerging economic model of schools, the establishment of the right of all children to education in state schools, and recognition of the rights of Maori…

The essays in this volume seek to elucidate the policies and processes whereby groups of students in 15 (mainly industrialized) countries are designated as special, and differential treatment is legitimated, organized, and financed. Essays and authors are as follows: "An Overview of Experience in Fifteen Countries" (W. Donovan, A.…