Abstract
The ratification of the Salamanca Statement and Framework of Action on Inclusive Education in 1994 (Salamanca Statement) by representatives from 92 countries spurred an international shift towards inclusive education. The Salamanca Statement aimed to promote education for all through inclusive education where schools would serve all children including those with special needs. Nevertheless, it was left to each country to define how they would achieve this objective. Not surprisingly, different iterations of inclusive education have emerged around the world depending on each country's context. Referencing international agreements and frameworks, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and the Salamanca Statement, this chapter discusses what constitutes inclusive education, from the perspective of these international conventions and frameworks, thereby setting the stage for the ensuing chapters that discuss inclusive education as it is practiced in relation to specific groups of learners across different countries.