Identification of special education needs: What do we need to know and what do we need to do?

In this article based upon a talk given to the Education Convergence conference at the Centre for Gifted Children on 13th March 1999, the author challenges the idea of traditional assessment and identification procedures which focus on "within child" problems and which fail to address the contexts of failure. A classroom based evaluation which includes a review of resources is suggested. The author also challenges the practice of assessment for banding in Hong Kong as part of a failure to view rights issues and inclusion as central elements of identification. Copyright © 2000 教育評議會.