Abstract
This paper is about the significance of listening to raille ized voices for developing inclusion in further education. I report on an ethnographic study which explores the educational experiences of young people on a pre-vocational course for those designated as 'students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities', and considers how these experiences can inform an inclusive approach to further education. I describe how I learned to hear the stories of these young men and women over a period of two years, a process involving the use of audio-diaries, photo-portraits and participation in everyday college life, as well as interviews and informal conversations. I discuss how the stories of inclusion and exclusion revealed by these young people are frequently at odds with official accounts of developments towards inclusion told by staff and reflected in internal policies and student-related documentation. Despite claims of increasing student participation and consultation, the stories of the students themselves remain unheard by those responsible for officially implementing inclusive practices. I argue that until the voices of those regarded as 'having learning difficulties and/or disabilities' are treated seriously, marginalisation and exclusion will continue, whatever the semblance of inclusiveness publicly portrayed.
 |
 |