Abstract
This comparative analysis investigates the influence of neo-liberal and inclusive discourses in ‘special’ education policy-making in New South Wales, Scotland, Finland and Malaysia. The centrality of competition, selectivity and accountability in the discourses used in New South Wales and Malaysia suggests a system preference for neo-liberal solutions to education policy problems. The focus on excellence with equity, together with proactive approaches to student support in Scotland and Finland, however, is representative of a more interventionist government approach grounded in social democracy. It is argued that an inclusive approach is conducive to the achievement of both excellence and equity in students’ learning outcomes, whereas countries that have pursued market-driven models involving competition for places in selective institutions tend to have poorer educational outcomes and wider levels of inequality.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 598-615 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| Journal | Compare |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 4 Jul 2017 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Fingerprint
Cite this
}
Discourses, decisions, designs : ‘special’ education policy-making in New South Wales, Scotland, Finland and Malaysia. / Chong, Pei Wen; J. Graham, Linda.
In: Compare, Vol. 47, No. 4, 04.07.2017, p. 598-615.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Discourses, decisions, designs
T2 - ‘special’ education policy-making in New South Wales, Scotland, Finland and Malaysia
AU - Chong, Pei Wen
AU - J. Graham, Linda
PY - 2017/7/4
Y1 - 2017/7/4
N2 - This comparative analysis investigates the influence of neo-liberal and inclusive discourses in ‘special’ education policy-making in New South Wales, Scotland, Finland and Malaysia. The centrality of competition, selectivity and accountability in the discourses used in New South Wales and Malaysia suggests a system preference for neo-liberal solutions to education policy problems. The focus on excellence with equity, together with proactive approaches to student support in Scotland and Finland, however, is representative of a more interventionist government approach grounded in social democracy. It is argued that an inclusive approach is conducive to the achievement of both excellence and equity in students’ learning outcomes, whereas countries that have pursued market-driven models involving competition for places in selective institutions tend to have poorer educational outcomes and wider levels of inequality.
AB - This comparative analysis investigates the influence of neo-liberal and inclusive discourses in ‘special’ education policy-making in New South Wales, Scotland, Finland and Malaysia. The centrality of competition, selectivity and accountability in the discourses used in New South Wales and Malaysia suggests a system preference for neo-liberal solutions to education policy problems. The focus on excellence with equity, together with proactive approaches to student support in Scotland and Finland, however, is representative of a more interventionist government approach grounded in social democracy. It is argued that an inclusive approach is conducive to the achievement of both excellence and equity in students’ learning outcomes, whereas countries that have pursued market-driven models involving competition for places in selective institutions tend to have poorer educational outcomes and wider levels of inequality.
KW - Inclusion
KW - neoliberalism
KW - special education
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85006857188&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/03057925.2016.1262244
DO - 10.1080/03057925.2016.1262244
M3 - Article
VL - 47
SP - 598
EP - 615
JO - Compare: a journal of comparative and international education
JF - Compare: a journal of comparative and international education
SN - 0305-7925
IS - 4
ER -