Title: Developing learning and participation in schools: using the Index for inclusion in Spain lessons learned and common challenges
Authors: Gerardo Echeita; Cecilia Simón; Marta Sandoval; Yolanda Muñoz
Addresses: Faculty of Psychology, Autonomous University of Madrid, C/ Ivan Pavlov, 6, 28049 Cantoblanco, Spain ' Faculty of Psychology, Autonomous University of Madrid, C/ Ivan Pavlov, 6, 28049 Cantoblanco, Spain ' Faculty of Education, Autonomous University of Madrid, C/ Francisco Tomás y Valiente, 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain ' Faculty of Education, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
Abstract: This paper presents a documentary review in Spain on the uses and experiences of school change with Index for Inclusion materials (Booth and Ainscow, 2000, 2011) during the last 15 years. A brief description of the Spanish educational system is made in order to contextualise this analysis. The initiatives are grouped into three categories. Firstly, it has served as a source of partial inspiration, primarily in research contexts, to generate tools for analysis. Secondly, it has been taken up in teacher education activities. In this context, the index has been especially useful to help to construct and share a common language about inclusive education. The third category encompasses projects that have used the index in the evaluation and improvement processes to guide inclusive development in schools. Some 'lessons learned' are shared and common challenges are discussed, among them the need to give greater emphasis to the conditions which support schools on their journey to become more inclusive.
Keywords: inclusive education; index for inclusion; Spain; challenges; school change.
International Journal of Learning and Change, 2023 Vol.15 No.4, pp.329 - 344
Received: 11 Sep 2020
Accepted: 20 Jun 2021
Published online: 12 Jul 2023 *