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The Agora Thessaloniki is a forum for vocational education and training issues. Agora XII demonstrated that training for the disabled is a means of developing and acquiring independence and of becoming absorbed into society. While recognising the importance of including those with learning disabilities as far as possible in normal training schemes and conventional enterprises, a definite role for special classes and sheltered employment was advocated. Emphasis was given to the importance of training and the role of trainers and social workers in facilitating social inclusion for the disabled. The skills and qualities of trainers of the disabled were considered to be little different from those needed by other trainers, hence training for those working with the disabled did not differ from that for trainers generally. The contents are: Foreward; Agenda; Mental health: medical fact or social construct / Gaye Hutchison (p. 17-23); Disability and independence: improving the quality of life of disabled people / Carmen Duarte (p. 25-29); Professional training of the mentally disabled in enterprises in the open labour market / Helmut Heinen (p. 31-38); Job creation for the mentally disabled: new approaches in Germany through integration enterprises and employment companies / Rainer Dolle (p. 39-42); The effects of globalisation on the mentally disabled / Alberto Alberani (p. 43-48); Economic costs and benefits of integrating disabled people into the labour market: an European look / Juan Carlos Collado (p. 49-69); Permitting the mentally disabled a genuine and appropriate exercise of their rights / Annet De Vroey (p. 71-84); The initial and continuing training of the mentally disabled in lifelong education and training / Christian Robert (p. 85-100); Education and training proposed to persons with learning disabilities in the different European countries / Victoria Soriano (p. 101-111); Occupational and/or personal independence: the role and significance of sheltered employment in the emancipation process / Gerard Zribi (p. 113-119); The normal environment as a training ground and indicator of personal potential for disabled workers and their trainers (p. 121-125); How does a trainer working with the mentally disabled differ from any other teacher of trainer? / Hans-Jurgen Pitsch (p. 127-140); Training of trainers in learning disability services: is learning or disability the issue? / Paul Twynam (p. 141-147); Training of trainers of the mentally disabled in Europe / Angelika Buhler (p. 149-156); How useful are networks of trainers and of trainers of trainers in preparing them for their very special role? / Raymond Ceccotto (p. 157-162); Summary of discussions / Victoria Koukouma (p. 163-167); List of participants.