Purpose: Inclusive education is in the network understood in a wide sense, not restricted to certain groups of learners, but seen as an overall approach with the aim of increasing the capacity of schools and education systems to respond to the diversity of learners. The concept of inclusive education is understood in a context of democratization processes, prohibiting marginalization and alienation.

The purpose of the Inclusive education network of NERA is to promote research in inclusive education and improvement of inclusive practices in the Nordic countries. To achieve this, research ideas and findings have to be shared. The intention of the network is to offer a meeting place for this. The network should contribute to disseminating knowledge about inclusive education even beyond NERA and to identifying underresearched areas. Also, the network should encourage collaboration with related research fields as well as linking to broader philosophical discussions.

Aims 2008/2009

1. Organize paper sessions/ symposia at the NERA conference in Trondheim 2009
   • A wide range of themes are welcomed
   • 'Literacy and inclusion' should be highlighted since literacy is the overarching theme of the conference
   • Paper sessions should include speaker(s) who see inclusion in a broader post-modern and poststructuralist perspective
   • Researchers with recent Ph D's in the field should be encouraged to present their work
   • We will look for collaboration possibilities with other related networks, such as Multicultural education and Gender and education
   • Invitations to the sessions should include research students
2. Keep the network internet pages updated

(updated September 1, 2008)