'Count us in' - Achieving inclusion in Scottish schools: An analysis of policy

Inclusive education is now established as part of a global agenda and as such national governments, and their agencies, strive to produce and implement policies to promote inclusion. Scotland is no exception and in 2002 Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIe) published a review of 'good practice' in the field of inclusion in Scottish schools. This paper is an analysis of the HMIe policy document in terms of research 'of ' policy, with analysis focused on context, text and consequences. The paper begins by arguing that to base policy on good practice is potentially flawed in a number of areas, especially given the heterogeneity of inclusive practice and the loss in translation of practice from the global to the vernacular level. However, it concludes that by the use of 'backward mapping' good practice may indeed be able to inform future policy.