The politics of education for all

This is an abbreviated version of a paper given by Len Barton at the International Special Education Congress, Birmingham, in April 1995. He addresses the congress theme, ‘Education for All’, from a political perspective, challenging the view that this is achievable through market ideologies. He identifies key questions that force us to examine the politics and power underlying delivery of services to those in need. Any call for a ‘vision’ should be informed by an understanding of such processes.