In inclusive education, Disability Studies is a framework that has been useful for identifying gaps in theory, in practice and the spaces in between. Disability Studies in Education also provides new spaces in which to manoeuvre, re-framing theory, reflecting on and (potentially) shifting practice in classrooms, schools, and national policies and…

In this article we describe the processes and outcomes of the development of the "New Zealand Curriculum Exemplars for Students with Special Education Needs". The project focused on teachers working with students described as working long term at Level 1 in the "New Zealand Curriculum". Earlier research had shown that teachers…

In this paper I report a qualitative study of a series of court decisions concerning the meanings of science and the gold standard of special education research. I describe two sets of court proceedings and subsequent decisions that considered the admissibility of statements purportedly given by disabled children using a strategy known as…

In a report to the Aotearoa New Zealand Ministry of Education entitled "Curriculum Policy and Special Education Support" (2004), the team of writers noted the lack of collaboration between experts in these two fields. This paper explores the apparently separate worlds of special education and curriculum policy in order to develop an…

This paper serves as a broad introduction to Disabilities Studies in Education (DSE). The emergence of DSE over the last decade has resulted in a vibrant area of academic scholarship as well as a critical forum for social/educational advocacy and activism. First, the authors trace the roots of DSE in the growth of disability studies (DS) within…