The study, “Teacher support in the inclusive primary school: addressing barriers to learning in the classroom”, aims to investigate teacher support in addressing and reducing barriers to learning, particularly in primary school. The objective of the introduction of the Education White Paper 6 of 2001 was to ensure that learners with different learning needs are accommodated in ordinary or mainstream schools, with the support of the District-Based Support Team (DBST) and the School-Based Support Team (SBST). Although the schools have established a team to support teachers to address barriers to learning in the class, it seems teachers are not getting the expected support from the SBST. Therefore, an investigation on teacher support addressing barriers to learning was explored. This qualitative study employed interviews, observations and document analysis as methods of data collection. The study was collected in one primary school situated in an informal settlement in Tshwane South District in Gauteng, with eight teachers from Grade 1 to 7 as participants. Creswell’s method of data analysis was adopted, and the findings revealed that the following were factors affecting teachers when addressing barriers to learning: challenges with diverse-needs learners, systemic challenges and challenges of teacher support. Recommendations from the study were given. Key topics for future research are regarding the role of the SBST and DBST in supporting teachers, teachers’ intervention strategies, training, monitoring and evaluation, and teacher development. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Full-Service Schools are new institutions in South Africa which have been established in terms of the Education White Paper 6, Special Needs Education and Training System (Department of Education, 2001: 22-23; 2014: 9) as pilot schools for the rolling out of the Inclusion Policy in South Africa. A full-service school is a school that encourages learners who experience barriers to learning and learners without barriers to learning to learn and live together (Department of Education, 2001, 2014). For this reason, all learners must have opportunities to learn and play together and participate in educational activities in full-service schools. These inclusion practices, which promote acceptance, equity and collaboration, are responsive to individual needs, and embrace diversity (The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act No. 108 of 1996). The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of educators in management of inclusive classrooms. This study focused on how the educators perform the three of the seven educators roles as expected in the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (MRTEQ) (Department of Education, 2011).The educators, over and above these roles, are expected also to participate in extra-curricular programmes, such as sports, cultural and artistic activities, and thus taking more of their time, most probably to the detriment of not fulfilling their Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications as expected. The three selected educators roles are ‘the educator as a learning mediator’, ‘the educator as assessor’ and ‘the educator as support provider’, viz. the community, citizenship and pastoral roles of educators for the learners who experience barriers to learning in English First Additional Language (FAL) in the Grade Six inclusive classrooms. A qualitative research method was employed in this study, to explore the way in which individuals make sense of their world in the naturalistic setting of the classroom, without predetermining the research outcomes (Patton 2002, MacMillan & Schumacher 2010, Denzin & Lincoln 2011, Creswell, 2013). Data analysed was gathered through in-depth interviews, non-participatory observation, and document analysis. Data was analysed through content analysis. / Inclusive Education / D. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

The study, “Teacher support in the inclusive primary school: addressing barriers to learning in the classroom”, aims to investigate teacher support in addressing and reducing barriers to learning, particularly in primary school. The objective of the introduction of the Education White Paper 6 of 2001 was to ensure that learners with different learning needs are accommodated in ordinary or mainstream schools, with the support of the District-Based Support Team (DBST) and the School-Based Support Team (SBST). Although the schools have established a team to support teachers to address barriers to learning in the class, it seems teachers are not getting the expected support from the SBST. Therefore, an investigation on teacher support addressing barriers to learning was explored. This qualitative study employed interviews, observations and document analysis as methods of data collection. The study was collected in one primary school situated in an informal settlement in Tshwane South District in Gauteng, with eight teachers from Grade 1 to 7 as participants. Creswell’s method of data analysis was adopted, and the findings revealed that the following were factors affecting teachers when addressing barriers to learning: challenges with diverse-needs learners, systemic challenges and challenges of teacher support. Recommendations from the study were given. Key topics for future research are regarding the role of the SBST and DBST in supporting teachers, teachers’ intervention strategies, training, monitoring and evaluation, and teacher development. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

This study investigated how educational policies and law affect the teaching and learning of inclusive education in overcrowded Gauteng classrooms. The intention of the study was to explore various challenges that teachers are facing to implement inclusion policies in the classroom; determine different ways in which teachers implement inclusive education in overcrowded classrooms; establish if inclusive education policies are realistically implemented in overcrowded classrooms in Gauteng and to determine if the needs of learners are truly met in these public school classrooms. It was a qualitative study. Teachers teaching in the Foundation Phase were interviewed and they also participated in focus group discussions. This study revealed that educational policies and law do affect the teaching and learning of inclusive education in overcrowded Gauteng classrooms. Inclusive education can only be successful if teachers have an extensive understanding of how to identify barriers to learning, obtain skills to implement inclusive education in overcrowded classrooms and plan for diversity with confidence. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Educational Leadership and Management)

The primary aim of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of professional teacher development for a group of teachers at full-service schools (FSSs), who are the implementers of inclusive education according to Education White Paper 6, the inclusive education policy in South Africa. The researcher used ontological and epistemological assumptions, as well as specific social research methodologies. This created a scientific grounding for the findings of the study. The methodology included a qualitative research approach and research design. Focus group interviews and observation were used for data collection. In this study purposive sampling was used. The participants in this study were chosen because of their teaching experience at full-service schools; sampling was therefore done with a purpose. Phenomenology is used in the study to decide what happens in the lived experiences of the focus group interviewees, who were teachers at full-service schools. This helped the researcher to better understand the needs and problems of the participants. During qualitative data analysis the information was organised, arranged and prepared systematically and classified into themes and categories and then coding followed. The analysis showed that in the absence of an appropriate model for professional teacher development for FSSs, the teachers at the schools were not in a position to implement inclusive education adequately. The researcher proposes a framework that is based on the ecological systems theory of Bronfenbrenner, taking the intervention collaborative framework designed by the researcher based on findings and recommendations into consideration. The collaboration among stakeholders in the different levels would encourage teamwork in the development of the FSS teacher. The full-service school teacher is influenced by various elements, the learner with diverse needs in the classroom, members of the management team, the school-based support team and colleagues at school. Members of the district-based support team, the school governing body, as well as members from the wider school community all have an influence on a teacher’s development as a professional person. / Inclusive Education / D. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

District-based support teams (DBSTs) are tasked with supporting the implementation of inclusive education (IE). One of the core purposes of the Department of Education is to ensure that the whole system is organised in such a way that there is effective delivery of education and support services to all learners who experience barriers to learning and development, in both public ordinary as well as public special schools (Department of Education, 2009). This study investigated the experiences of DBSTs in their work of screening, identification, assessment and support (SIAS) implementation regarding Special Needs Education Services (SNES) in the Zululand District of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education. In an effort to understand their experiences, a qualitative research approach was adopted in which a case study design was employed. Six district officials were purposively identified (five females and one male). Six principals were also interviewed. The study employed interpretivism as the research paradigm. Data was generated through observations, document reviews and analysis, and semi-structured interviews. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. Theoretically, the study was framed by Deming’s Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle (Deming, 1986). Findings reveal that there is a lack of collaboration between district stakeholders and a lack of recognition and support from management. The vastness of the district and the workload makes it difficult to provide adequate support. The study concluded that collaboration among professionals within a district and all other stakeholders contribute significantly to the effective functioning of the DSTBs. It is therefore recommended that in order to ensure effective and functional DSTBs, it is important that continued support and collaboration among stakeholders be facilitated. The study also suggested further areas of research. / Inclusive Education / D. Phil. (Education)

Abstract in English and Nyanja / According to the Department of Education White Paper 6 of 2001, all learners have the right to learn at any school of their choice without being discriminated because of their barriers to learning. The aim of this study was to investigate teachers’ experiences in implementing inclusive education in primary schools in Johannesburg East district, Gauteng Province. The study sought to establish the teachers’ experiences in the implementation of inclusive education in primary schools. The researcher used qualitative method to conduct the study to get in-depth information on the teachers’ experiences in the implementation of inclusive education in primary schools. Five level 1 teachers and five Heads of Departments (HODs) were purposively sampled for the study in five different schools in the Johannesburg East district, Gauteng. Data were collected through in-depth interviews as this allowed participants to elaborate on their responses. Participants were also observed in their respective classrooms. Data was analysed to identify recurring themes. It emerged from the study that many teachers have not been adequately trained on implementing inclusive education in primary school classrooms; many schools do not have adequate resources and there is very little support from the relevant stakeholders. The study makes recommendations for the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to workshop teachers more often on inclusive education, to supply more resources in schools and for relevant stakeholders to support teachers at schools. / U ya nga ha Nḓivhadzamulayotibe ya Muhasho wa Pfunzo ya vhu 6 ya 2001, vhagudiswa vhoṱhe vha na pfanelo ya u guda kha tshikolo tshiṅwe na tshiṅwe tshine vha funa vha sa khethululwi nga nṱhani ha zwithivhela ngudo zwavho. Ndivho ya ngudo iyi ho vha u sengulusa tshenzhelo dza vhadededzi kha u shumisa pfunzonyangaredzi zwikolo zwa phuraimari kha tshiṱiriki tsha Vhubvaḓuvha ha Johannesburg, Vundu ḽa Gauteng. Muṱoḓisisi o shumisa ngona yo khwaḽithethivi u ita ṱhoḓisiso u itela u wana mafhungo a vhudzivha nga ha tshenzhelo dza vhadededzi kha tshumiso ya pfunzonyangaredzi kha zwikolo zwa phuraimari. Vhadededzi vhaṱanu vha ḽevele 1 na ṱhoho dza muhasho (dzi HOD) ṱhanu vho nanguludzwa u ya nga vhukoni u itela ngudo kha zwikolo zwiṱanu zwo fhambanaho kha tshiṱiriki tsha Vhubvaḓuvha ha Johannesburg, Gauteng. Data yo kuvhanganyiwa nga kha inthaviwu dzo ṱanḓavhuwaho, saizwi zwi tshi tendela vhadzheneleli u ṱanḓavhudza phindulo dzavho. Vhadzheneleli vho lavheleswa hafhu kiḽasini dzavho dzo fhambanaho. Data yo saukanywa u itela u vhona thero dzi dovhololaho. Ho wanala u bva kha ngudo uri vhunzhi ha vhadededzi a vho ngo gudiswa zwavhuḓi kha kushumisele kwa pfunzonyangaredzi kiḽasini dza tshikolo tsha phuraimari; vhunzhi ha zwikolo a zwi na zwishumiswa zwo linganaho, nahone hu na thikhedzo ṱhukhu u bva kha vhadzhiamukovhe vho teaho. Ngudo dzo themendela Muhasho wa Pfunzo ya Mutheo (DBE) uri u pfumbudze vhadededzi tshifhinga tshoṱhe kha pfunzonyangaredzi, u ṋekedza zwishumiswa zwinzhi na u wana thikhedzo u bva kha vhadededzi na vhadzhiamukovhe vho teaho. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)