Disabled pupils should attend same schools, campaigners say

Access also differs widely between areas, with children in Newham, London, nine times more likely to attend than those in Manchester, groups added.

Attending special schools caused problems in adulthood, such as low self-esteem and poorer educational achievement.

Linda Shaw, co-director of the Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education, said: "Segregated schooling violates children's rights to inclusion and contravenes human rights agreements and standards."

'Close special schools'

The groups - which also include the Alliance for Inclusive Education, Parents for Inclusion, the Bolton Institute and Disability Equality in Education - are calling for change.

They want only 1% of disabled children to be in special schools in five years' time, falling to 0.5% within 10 years.

The Department for Education and Skills has called for more co-operation between mainstream and special schools.

It has also promised mainstream school places for disabled children whose parents want them.

Education minister Catherine Ashton said: "We are committed to developing a more inclusive education system, with disabled children and those with special educational needs having more opportunity to learn and play in a mainstream setting.

"Special schools have a very important role in making inclusion work by linking with mainstream schools.

"Inclusion is not an agenda to close special schools. I want special schools to be centres of expertise working with mainstream schools and the wider community to support pupils with special educational needs."

But campaigners think this does not go far enough.

Jo Whittaker of the Bolton Institute said: "While special schools exist they will continue to justify segregation.