| Summary: | The research here undertaken is a sociological analysis of special schools. Part one has sought to describe the context of special education and to explain how the dominant influence may be linked to medical and psychological interests. This section also relates social theory to sociological perspectives surrounding special education. In part two, case-study analysis takes place in two special schools, each in different local authorities. The research itself is located at the 'meso' level and attempts to comprehend factors that underpin the structure, power and rationale of the schools. In collecting information, data is grounded into a research design that uses both formal and informal techniques, and incorporates both comparative analysis and democratic evaluation. Finally, understandings centre on how the key structural elements and processes within the schools operate and offers an explanation of how important they are within the rationale of each school. Part three of the research is in two parts and arises out of the initial investigations of part two. Part A is aimed at an analysis of 50 statements collected equally from the two collaborating L.E.A.s. This analysis has offered explanations of why there is a differential between male and female referrals to special schools. Part B returns to the case-study analysis and presents an 'ideal model' of the special school and indicates ways in which the key elements and processes within them differ from mainstream schools.
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