Critical liberatory inclusive pedagogy: arguing for a zero-defect discourse

Abstract

This article explores the discourses within critical pedagogy and inclusive education. It highlights the obstacles that academic institutions and educators need to overcome in order to realise an emancipatory and critical pedagogy. The article valorises muted voices and reflects on how the dominant discourse has camouflaged its hegemonic ideology while perpetuating the centre for dominance and pushing students with special educational needs to the periphery; actions which often make such students feel disempowered, disenfranchised, silenced and marginalised. A critical theory is applied in this article to cast light on exclusion, social injustice and marginalisation.