This article has been especially written by the journal Guest Editors as an introduction to key issues in making international comparisons regarding inclusive policy and practice. The authors argue that there is a very real amplification of the methodological problems faced by researchers working in comparative education when they consider the field of special and inclusive education. Two 'problem' areas are discussed: (i) the incomparability of terminology -words such as inclusion may or may not have the same meaning when translated into other languages and also other contexts; and (ii) the inherent methodological difficulties within the 'target' population of research in inclusive education -pupils with special educational needs are not identified, assessed or offered provision in the same ways within countries. This means that comparisons of approaches within countries are problematic -and comparison of these countries at an international level becomes extremely difficult. Therefore, the key question is exactly what can be usefully compared?

Identification of major glucan-associated proteins (GAPs) of the cell wall of a number of Candida albicans isolates susceptible or resistant to fluconazole (FLC) was addressed by direct sequencing of the protein bands resolved by unidimensional gel electrophoresis. Changes in the GAP compositions of the different strains grown in the presence of the drug were also investigated. In the FLC-susceptible strains, the major (more abundant) GAPs were enolase (46 kDa), two isoforms of phosphoglyceromutase (32 and 29 kDa), and two ␤-(1-3)-exoglucanases (44 and 34 kDa), one of which (the 34-kDa component) was glycosylated. When these strains were grown in the presence of FLC there were substantial decreases in the intensities of the two enzymes of the glycolytic pathway (enolase and the phosphoglyceromutases), which were apparently replaced by enhancement of the exoglucanase constituents, particularly the 44-kDa one. This GAP pattern closely mimicked that observed in the FLC-resistant strains whether they were grown in the presence or in the absence of the drug. Both the enolase and the exoglucanase constituents were detected in the culture supernatants of FLC-treated cells, together with substantial amounts of highly glycosylated, probably mannoprotein secretory material, suggesting that FLC may cause marked alterations of GAP incorporation into the cell wall. Altogether, we were able to identify all major GAP constituents and monitor their distributions in the cell wall of C. albicans during treatment with FLC. The near equivalence of the GAP profile for the FLC-susceptible strain grown in the presence of FLC to that for the FLC-resistant strain suggests that the effects of the drug on GAPs may be stably incorporated into the cell wall of the fungus upon acquisition of resistance.The cell wall of the human opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans is a complex biochemical entity (organelle) mainly composed of neutral polysaccharides. These polysaccharides appear to be interspersed to constitute a three-dimensional network. Several proteins are embedded in this network, and these proteins are more or less tightly bound to the polysaccharides. Those which are released from the purified cell wall following digestion with endoglucanases are often referred to as glucan-associated proteins (GAPs) (4,13,18,23). There is a great deal of interest in understanding the nature and function of these proteins in terms of their roles in cell wall construction, morphogenesis, and interaction with the host (4, 6, 9, 10, 18). Detailed knowledge of the compositions and structures of GAPs could also generate useful targets for novel anticandidal agents, facilitate a better understanding of the mechanisms of action of the existing antifungals, or even help with the identification of novel immunostimulating agents.One of the areas which remains poorly investigated is the influence that current anticandidal drugs exert on GAP composition and function. Although most effective anticandidal drugs have direct or indirect activities on one or more ...

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This paper emphasizes the aporetic nature of the Salamanca Statement on Special Needs Education (UNESCO, 1994), adopting a cross-cultural perspective. It draws on an intersectional perspective on inclusion (Connor, Ferri & Annamma, 2016; Artiles & Kozleski, 2016; Erevelles, 2014) to argue that although inclusion has been defined by such an international declaration as a transformative project to ensure access to quality education for all students, national inclusive policies are still focused on a pathological construction of student difference, slowly incorporating children from different linguistic and ethnic backgrounds. The focus on Italy and the United States is a response to examine the discourses and practices of inclusion in two countries that have been impacted by the Salamanca Statement thinking. To substantiate our argument concerned with the limitations embedded in the Salamanca Statement, data from two empirical studies conducted in Rome and in Upstate New York will be presented. The studies show how inclusion leads to overrepresentation of migrant students in Special Educational Needs. We conclude that the Salamanca Statement has been transferred into a tool to strengthen normality against difference, and that it should focus on interrupting micro-exclusions for groups sitting at the intersections of race, ability and other identity markers.

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