Envisioning the Future Without the Social Alienation of Difference

This article will honour the career of John Elkins by presenting themes from research associated with advocacy, inclusive education, and deinstitutionalisation. As a mentor John's interest in these areas is indicative of how his career has centred around making a difference for children and adults who are at risk of marginalisation. The evolution of inclusion will be focused upon but also discussed within the context of research findings that suggest a phenomenon of ongoing social alienation arising from difference. A recent typology of inclusion that arose from a follow-up study of 56 people, who had lived on average for 22 years in an institution, will be outlined. The majority of those people, 8 years on from leaving the institution, had made few if any community connections. This does not deny that living in the community is cause for celebration, but if an inclusive future is to be envisioned then the question remains as to what needs to happen to ensure that people have more than just a community presence. Several responses to this challenge will be examined. It will be argued, however, that whatever the solution the voice of people with disabilities needs to surface. The challenge of how people with disabilities can become "co-researchers" as opposed to the "researched" will then be discussed.