Cross-Cultural Perspectives on the Classification of Children With Disabilities: Part II. Implementing Classification Systems in Schools

In Part I of this two-part synthesis of a seminar on the classification of children with disabilities (see Florian et al., this issue), we discussed historical and emerging conceptual frameworks for classifying childhood disabilities and some of the issues associated with using such classifications for educational purposes. In this article, we discuss how those frameworks and associated assumptions have been interpreted within educational systems, specifically as they pertain to the identification of children with disabilities for purposes of providing specialized educational services. We synthesize seven papers that addressed aspects of disability classification in educational systems in the United States and the United Kingdom. We also discuss current policies for determining which children receive special education services, the origins and evolution of these policies, and current dilemmas and challenges associated with classification schemes and the provision of special education. We conclude with a description of models and Cross-Cultural Perspectives on the Classification of Children With Disabilities: