The Index is published by CSIE in collaboration with the University of Manchester and Canterbury Christ Church University College. The team that worked together for three years included teachers, parents, governors, researchers and a representative of disability groups, as well as CSIE staff. The Index is a set of materials aimed at guiding ordinary schools through a process of inclusive school development and encourages the widest scrutiny of everything that makes up the life of a school. At the heart of the Index is the investigation of a school's cultures, policies and practices using a series of indicators and questions to discover information about barriers to learning. Through this extensive exploration a school identifies priorities for development and puts new plans into practice to increase the learning and participation for all of its students.
Today marks the culmination of three years' hard work.
The results of piloting the project underline the importance of providing practical support to schools to help them become more inclusive. In turn this will enable more parents to feel confident that their child's needs can, and will, be met in a mainstream school. In addition we will be launching later this year a CD-ROM package highlighting innovative practice in developing links between mainstream and special schools. I am delighted that my Department has been able to support the Index project and ensure that every school receives a free copy. This is a good example of partnership in practice, where different sectors come together to better meet the needs of pupils with special needs or disabilities.