Shortlisted for the Standing Conference on Studies in Education (SCSE) book awards for 2001 In Schools and Special Needs, the authors provide a critical perspective on the dominant `inclusion' model of special needs education, in terms of implementation in schools and effectiveness of pupil learning outcomes. They take issue with the major advocates of the inclusion model and argue that a different way of understanding special educational needs in mainstream schools is both possible and necessary. The authors, who are eminent in the special needs field, use up-to-date material to develop a new model for special- education in schools.