Abstract
Many school are developing, or have already developed, powerful strategies and extensive resources to create successful educational systems which promote and maintain an inclusive environment.
Contacts between different professional and personal stakeholders are creating opportunities for multi-layering approaches towards truly inclusive societies, as a direct consequence of a previous and inclusive educational setting coherent to that societal consequence.
Within the field of health, occupational therapy has long been recognised as an important strand in the adaptive and creative enrichment of an individual's personal and social life experience. But rarely within the field of education have occupational therapists been appointed as part of a central role in developing inclusive school communities.
Too often their role is identified as marginal except as support for those with the most challenging needs in long-term or full care provision. Their work is not perceived as a core aspect of inclusive practice. Within the artificial structure which maintains professional distinctions between health and education, the occupational therapist is often placed in a limited sphere of influence.
This paper examines and discusses the potential role of the occupational therapist as a key stakeholder and resource provider for inclusive schools and societies.
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