School and "learning difficulties"

Abstract

The growing of school population was followed by an amplification of the number of students labeled as having “learning difficulties”. This stigma brings to the context of individual pathology a phenomenon which nature is social. At the same time mix it with a more restrictive idea related to individual characteristcs which call for a specific consideration under the name of “special education”. Both phenomena have been included under the concept of “exclusion”. The article intends, for one side, to criticize the generalized use of the concept “exclusion”, as well as its transposition to the educacional context. The result is a simple and reductive opposition between “exclusive school” and “inclusive school”. It has also the intent of clarifyng the negative effects of the application of a group of concepts such as “special education”, “special education needs “and” learning difficulties.” to different contexts.