Special Education 2000: Developing a Policy for Inclusive Education in New Zealand

Abstract

Special education has had a complex history in New Zealand. The Ministry of Education’s document Special Education 2000 is the latest attempt by Government to make policy and provision clear, fair and consistent. This paper examines Special Education 2000 in its historical, political and social contexts, with particular reference to the claim of the policy to be part of a government strategy for an inclusive education system.