Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, June, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. Release of full electronic text on OhioLINK has been delayed until June 1, 2014. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 254-297)

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

This essay aims to examine how Swedish compulsory school teachers claims to handle dyslexia while educating and grading, and to what extent they are influenced by others while grading. This was examined through interviews with a phenomenographic approach and the participants were eight grade 9 teachers. The categories of description found in the analysis was then interpreted through researcher Claes Nilhoms dilemma perspective, focusing on the dilemma Equal Participation - Compensation. Regarding education, three main strategies occurred: actions directed towards all students, methods of compensation organized by the school and individualized methods of compensation. The former is closest to Equal Participation, the latter to Compensation and the school organized methods form a middle position somewhat closer to Compensation. As to grading, four categories of description emerged (here sorted by how they are placed within the dilemma, starting with Equal Participation and ending with Compensation): teachers who follows the central grading criteria; teachers who tries to adjust their grading to the needs of the society; teachers who makes a few general exceptions to the grading criteria and teachers who make whichever necessary exception in order for the dyslectic students to pass. Finally the teachers were relatively unaffected by others while grading.

The purpose of this study is to examine the components that are essential to successful and sustainable after-school sport and physical activity programs. The study examines not only what components must be present, but what barriers as well must be overcome to ensure implementation, success, and sustainability. While some programs have been successful in attracting and providing alternative programs for those that do not currently participate in interscholastic sport, the elements that make such programs successful and sustainable have yet to be thoroughly identified in the field. This study will examine best practices of existing successful programs, in order to make recommendations for expanding these programs to other schools. This study employed a qualitative descriptive design aimed at garnering an in-depth understanding of the experiences and perceptions of participants and program administrators in public schools who currently offer such programs. The study utilized questionnaires, interviews (individual and group), and observations to examine the best practices toward implementing attractive and sustainable after-school physical activity programs. The study included a comprehensive description of the programs, participants, and procedures of seven (7) separate Texas high school after-school programs. The programs fall into three (3) distinctive program designs. In addition, the essential components that make these programs successful and sustainable were reviewed. These five components were Supportive Administrators and Decision Makers Quality Facilitators, Inclusive and Enjoyable Opportunities, Practical and Flexible Logistics, and Parental and Community Involvement. Each of these elements is discussed in-depth in relation to motivational and adolescent development theories. This study demonstrates the viability of promoting and implementing theoretically sound programs that address appropriate developmental capabilities and student motivations. Through focus on local interests, inclusive programs, engaged facilitators, community involvement, and creative facility usage, a broad range of public schools could embrace the value and benefit of physical activity and sport programs for academic enhancement and positive youth development. / text

The purpose of this study was to describe the ways in which one elementary teacher included English language learners (ELLs) in her mainstream classroom. A case study design was chosen to obtain an in-depth understanding of this teacher’s beliefs and practices about ELLs and their inclusion. Descriptive data were collected from teacher interviews, classroom observations, and various artefacts. Data from these three sources were found to be highly consistent, indicating a close relationship between the teacher’s beliefs and practices. Two main themes emerged relating to the teacher’s ways of supporting and including young ELLs. The first theme was concerned with the teacher’s beliefs in and employment of broad-based instructional strategies such as differentiating instruction and assessment; emphasizing engagement through the use of a variety of meaningful activities and materials; focusing on oral language; stressing problem solving and cooperative learning; and encouraging students to take the lead. While the literature endorsed these general practices, it also stressed the need for teachers to address ELLs’ distinct language and cultural needs. Appreciating and incorporating diversity to facilitate ELLs’ inclusion was the second theme. Here, the data primarily came from interviews with the teacher who reported the value of exposing children to diversity and examining one’s and others’ biases, as well as utilizing practices that integrate the cultural knowledge of various groups and involve parents of diverse linguistic/cultural backgrounds. An analysis of these data found that many of the teacher’s approaches to incorporating diversity were integral to her program and addressed diversity from a critical standpoint. It was in this way that the findings connected to Dei et al.’s (2000) work–a key component of the study’s theoretical framework. Upon examining the data through the lenses of various theoretical constructs, one main concern regarding this teacher’s views and practices was raised throughout. Although the teacher appeared to recognize the value of students maintaining their home languages, there was little evidence of her promoting first language usage in the classroom. Ramifications of this omission were discussed, pointing to the need for further research to uncover some of the concerns educators may have about supporting ELLs’ first languages in the classroom. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2009-12-16 12:45:04.765

This study is an ethnographic enquiry into the experiences of a school and its community as they interface with the implementation of the policy of educational inclusion in a pilot project in a rural school in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Through the lens of critical theory and postmodernism, I critique special education and argue for the discourse of inclusive education to be placed on the broader agenda of social inclusion and exclusion and for its focus to extend beyond a narrow emphasis on special needs education. The study focuses on the micro-level, the teachers, learners, and parents who act within conflicting discursive spaces. Under scrutiny is context as a discursive field, which includes social, political and cultural factors and practices. The study examines systemic issues related to inclusion and exclusion within situated contexts. On the macro-level it examines discursive forces, including national and global forces that influence the implementation processes. Ethnography as a methodological tool opened up spaces to interrogate change and reform at the level of the interpersonal in the context of wider social and political power relations. In uncertain and unstable circumstances, an ethnographic approach, with multiple and prolonged data collection strategies, provided me with a fuller picture of the multiple realities within the school. The concept of a conditional matrix is a useful construct in understanding the multiple interlocking and intersecting influences that impact on the process of policy implementation. In this study, the micropolitical and micro-cultural conditions in the school, the politics of participation of departmental officials in policy implementation , teacher identities, macro-economic policy of the state, globalisation and neoliberalism and competing policies, impacted on and at times constrained the policy implementation process. Many gains were made in moving towards an inclusive school in this pilot project, but fiscal austerity in a sea of poverty threatened the goals of equity and redress. In understanding the implementation of a generic policy in all schools in a country, the contextual conditions within this conditional matrix need to be understood. Empirical evidence from this investigation suggests that developing learning schools and communities helps to bring about educational change and build inclusive schools. Collaboration in the form of team teaching, peer coaching, mentor relationships, professional dialogue, action research, and collaborative partnerships with and between members of the community provided a crucial plank in teacher development and school improvement. Using collaborative learning for teacher development transcends personal, individual reflection, or dependence on outside experts, leading to a situation where teachers learn from one other, to share and develop their expertise. This investigation provides evidence that the accessing and building of human and social capital within the school and the community is one way to implement inclusive education and reduce exclusion in the school and community. Collaborative partnerships with universities, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Community-Based Organizations, Disabled Peoples Organizations (DPOs), and intersectorial networking with government departments, and people from the community, played a major role in the implementation of the policy of inclusive education. The data suggests that teachers' experiences in professional development can influence their identities for policy change. Changing mental models or deeply established conceptions is essential in developing learning organizations. Critical to this shift of the 'mental model' or identity, is how the policy is mediated to the incumbents. This study proposes a tripolar approach to policy implementation, that is, a combination of three dimensions of teacher development: the 'top-down' , 'bottomup' and 'horizontal' dimensions. While some teachers used constructivist learner centred pedagogy effectively, others grappled with the principles of constructivism. Constructivist approaches to teaching, a learner centred pedagogy, active learning, cooperative learning, curriculum differentiation and multilevel teaching created a pedagogy of possibility for an inclusive curriculum for all learners. Whilst on the other hand the hegemony of traditional practices such as a 'one-size-fits-all' approach, closed up possibilities for some learners to access the curriculum. Different forms of assessments or a flexible assessment system generates opportunities or possibilities for a more equitable and non-discriminatory assessment procedure. The formative assessment together with alternative forms/techniques of assessment opens up spaces for a more inclusive and equitable system of assessment. A transformational, democratic style of leadership with shared decision-making, accountability, commitment and risk-taking, are important factors in creating a climate for change in schools. More importantly, the leadership of the principal as an avant-garde for inclusion influenced the change process. Indigenous practices such as the informal open-air meetings and the 'imbiso' or the 'legotla' type of meetings created spaces for effective organizational strategies in the school. Evidence from the study suggests that the "Institutional Support Team" (IST) as a proposed new structure in schools, opens up possibilities for internal support for the institution rather than a reliance on specialized outside help. Collective problem solving by the IST addressed systemic, social, pedagogical and cultural barriers to learning and development. Paradoxically, the quest for quality or excellence in education sometimes stymies the goals of equity and redress. The notion that excellence and equity are incompatible or bipolar human values is based on fallacious or binary logic. One of the ways to depolarize the equity/excellence dichotomy is to value both and not privilege anyone at the expense of the other. 1. imbiso/legotla: Zulu/Soto word for meeting called by the King, traditional leader, chief or the leadership of the land. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

The study reported in this thesis is a qualitative case study of teachers' experiences of the dissemination of Education White Paper 6 on Special Needs Education – Building an Inclusive Education and Training System in two districts in the Greater Durban area, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Located in three primary schools, the study aimed to examine the process adopted by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education to disseminate the policy and prepare schools (mostly teachers and other stakeholders) for its implementation, by 1) investigating teachers' understandings and experiences of the policy and the concept of inclusive education in three primary schools, 2) examining the factors that impact on the teachers' understandings of the innovation; and 3) investigating the teachers' views regarding the nature of support provided by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education and its sub-systems: the Greyville and Shelley Beach districts and the schools themselves to prepare for the implementation of inclusive education in schools. Data analysis in the study is informed by social constructionism as the overarching framework, as well as the systems theory and the theory of innovation diffusion. In addition, two conceptual frameworks are also used , the philosophy of inclusion and re-culturing. These are used as lenses to understand the nature of teachers' understandings of the policy and concept of inclusive education, and the ways in which the province is diffusing the innovation , and preparing and supporting teachers for the implementation of inclusive education in their schools and classrooms. Findings from the study suggest that the teachers had very limited, varied and often distorted understandings of the policy and the innovation. Their understandings suggested that instead of the paradigm shift warranted by the new policy, most of them still relied heavily on the old deficit, medical model of educating learners with special educational needs. The findings suggest that this might be because of the inadequate and inappropriate strategies that were utilised to disseminate information about the new policy among stakeholders, as well as the inadequate communication between and among the different sectors of the education system. The study concludes that the policy initiation process needs to become more inclusive to enable stakeholders to embrace the agenda and to understand its purpose; that a new policy is not able to challenge and change the culture of practice unless people are assisted to evaluate and question their practice, to unlearn the old and learn new ways of doing ; and that the system needs to break down walls that separate levels and directorates in order to make communication between and within sub-systems more effective. / Theses (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

In line with recent growth strategies as well as the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, countries are faced with achieving sustainable and inclusive growth. While inclusive growth is imposed as important task for countries to accomplish, its conceptualization is rather puzzling and demands more attention. There is no consensus on the concept of inclusiveness and its major determinants let alone on how to operationalise it. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is twofold. The first part is dedicated to provide deep insight of the concept and point the main characteristics of an inclusive growth wave. This part provides discussion of the literature on inclusive growth together with analysis of the different approaches used in the different definitions of the concept. It finishes with an overview on the empirical attempts to measuring inclusive growth. The second part investigates the influence of technology, represented in form of economic infrastructure, on inclusive growth through the process of poverty reduction. This part of the thesis analyses the influence of access to technology on inclusive growth, where the poverty reduction is the variable in focus. Regression analysis based on a cross-country data set including more then 100 developing countries indicates that technology access help to reduce poverty. The results show that economic infrastructure have negative correlation with poverty, although the explanatory variables are not robust to changes in poverty measures and changes in specifications.

The study intends to contribute to successful implementation of Inclusive Education in South African Schools, by exploring learners’ experiences within the classroom and teachers views about the classroom environment. A combination of these two factors will indicate the extent how far inclusive education is being implemented in the classrooms. The school that was selected to participate in this study is located in the semi-rural area in Pinetown district. Learners participated in three focus group sessions. These sessions aimed at gathering data on learners’ experiences within classroom environment. Each group consisted of eight learners; that is, four males and four females. Focus group one was selected from grade seven; the second focus group from grade eight and the third group from grade nine. The class teachers of the selected classes were requested to take part in the interview sessions. The sessions intended to gather information on teachers’ views about classroom environment and how it impacts on their implementation of Inclusive education. The study reveals that in South Africa the problem of inclusive curriculum implementation still exists and need special attention from all stake holders involved in education. What learners experience in the classroom result from how teachers conduct their practice. It is also evident that teachers have not been properly prepared for a paradigm shift and implementation of inclusive curriculum. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

The main purpose of this study was to actively engage with members of the rural community to establish how they understand the implementation of inclusive education in their community and how they perceive their role in the implementation process as it unfolds in their communities. The researcher acknowledges that inclusive education has been widely researched in South Africa. A number of studies focused on the parents’ role, teachers’ attitudes, addressing barriers to learning, people living with disabilities and the implementation of the policy on inclusive education. However, very limited research has been conducted on the community’s perceptions and its role towards the implementation process. A qualitative phenomenological design was followed to obtain an in-depth understanding of members’ experiences regarding the implementation of inclusive education. Participants in this study were from a marginalised rural community (characterized by the lack of access to resources and service delivery) in the Ehlanzeni region in Mpumalanga. The participants were purposively selected by employing the snowball sampling technique to ensure the inclusion of community members who represent the voices of the community. Data collection involved a six hour work session with 58 participants and six semi structured individual interviews with five members who attended the work session and the sixth, who did not, to crystallise the themes that emerged in the work session. Findings in this study revealed that the community understands inclusive education as creating spaces for all to learn, a project that involves the whole community and the facilitation of collaboration between stakeholders. They perceive the role that they could play in the implementation of inclusive education as accepting responsibility to include all members of the community, supporting those who care for people with disabilities, changing infrastructure to accommodate disability in communities and challenging the unequal distribution of resources. Conclusions drawn from the study suggest that inclusive education is a continuous and ongoing process that requires the development of collaborative relationships and support for all role players in enhancing the inclusion process. It is recommended that the Department of Education involve all stakeholders from different sectors at all levels to facilitate the implementation of inclusion in their communities. / Thesis (MEd (Educational Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013