Inclusion versus full inclusion: implications for progressing inclusive education

Inclusive education is a contentious concept with opposing opinions on what constitutes inclusion. This paper examines the concept of inclusive education, focusing on the distinction between inclusion and full inclusion, with a view to contributing to the ongoing discussion about the future direction of the Irish educational system. As a result of the 2018 ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), inclusive education in Ireland is at a pivotal juncture. The paper proposes that key to successful development of inclusive education is a pragmatic understanding of full inclusion, which supports the inclusion of students with their peers in the mainstream classroom setting but, critically, does not limit where specialised interventions and supports can occur in the school setting.