An Inaugural Professorial Lecture Inclusive education is not just about the education of a special group: it is about the education of all learners. Professor Len Barton argues that it is not an end in itself, but a means to an end – the realisation of a fully inclusive society. The author draws on insights and ideas derived from disability studies to argue that a transformation of deep structural barriers is necessary, involving the social base of dominant definitions of ‘success’, ‘failure’ and ‘ability’. The position of teacher education in relation to its contribution to the development of inclusive thinking and practice among student teachers is of fundamental importance in this process.