| Abstract: | Two of Michel Foucault's concepts are used to frame the analysis of the impact of the first dominant form of educational provision for pupils with learning difficulties. The historical background is that of elementary education a century ago and the conjuncture of two Royal Commissions whose deliberations effectively divided the school population into the normal and the exceptional. The definition which identified the exceptional pupil was faulty from the outset, but prevailed over several decades in legislation and secured the dominance of the medical profession in the field. At first, the recommendation for the location of educational provision was ambiguous. The London School Board employed the definition in a particular manner to establish a network of segregated special schools. That became the dominant model, but there was simultaneously available a successful example in another Board of inclusive education for the exceptional children which rejected both the definition and segregation. |
