Doing Inclusive Education Research (Foreword by Michael Apple)

Those attempting to research inclusive education face an enormous challenge. Not only is it a highly complex field, but it is also fraught with tensions, sometimes spilling into over into disputes between researchers over ideology. Research textbooks present research decision-making as relatively straightforward and offer little help to students and novice researchers on how to navigate complex fields such as inclusive education or understand ideology. Doing Inclusive Education Research is an attempt to lift the lid on the processes of doing research and uncovers the experiences of key researchers in the field. Len Barton, Mike Oliver, David Gillbourn, Deborah Youdell, Stephen Ball, Ellen Brantlinger, Sally Tomlinson, Mel Ainscow, Lani Florian, Alan Dyson, Suzanne Carrington, Ken Kavale, Karen Harris and Kim Cornish have all opened themselves up to scrutiny and reveal the decisions and choices they made at different points of the research process, as well as some of their concerns as they undertook the work. They also respond to the invitation to discuss the positioning of their work and offer their ‘take’ on the ideological battles. Students and all involved in researching inclusive education will find Doing inclusive education research an indispensable, as well as fascinating, insight into the research process and will gain useful advice on how to engage with this complex field.