There has been a paucity of research concerning vocational training of learners with special education needs. The literature study focused on a vocational training and transition planning programme in the United States of America, which could provide as a useful guide to educators and school managers, when implementing vocational training and transitional planning in South Africa. Research was conducted using semi-structured interviews with educators and principals at special schools, observation of learners whilst performing skills training and documentary analysis, to explore whether learners with barriers to learning are receiving skills training that could position them for employment in the open labour market after they exit school. Findings revealed that principals and educators at special schools are faced with challenges in the learner’s microsystem, exosystem and macrosystem, resulting in the inadequate preparation of learners with special education needs for employment in the open labour market. Based on the findings, recommendations in terms of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory were made, to increase the opportunity for learners who experience barriers to learning, to be engaged in meaningful employment. / Education Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The thesis addresses the issue of students' home preparation at primary school. The thesis is focused on students with learning disabilities, so in the first chapter of the theoretical part these disabilities are analyzed, describing their etiology and education opportunities in the school education system of the Czech republic. Re-education, as one of the ways through which we can help to eliminate manifestations of specific learning disabilities, is also emphasised. The characteristics of a child of primary school, education maturation, the process of learning and cognitive processes are contained in the second chapter of the thesis. Home preparation, its functions, types and factors are comprised in the third chapter. This chapter also describes the necessity of cooperation between parents and the school. The empirical part provides the description of home preparation of pupils at primary school with specific learning disabilities. The end of the practical part shows us a collection of games, activities and experiences of our respondents, which are enriched with vertified activities, games and recommendations related to the pupils with specific learning disabilities. Keywords: specific learning disabilities, home preparation, homework, re-education, education, school, cognitive processes.

The basic theme of this work is characterization of the role of Special Educational Centre in the training of teaching staff educating pupils and children with autism spectrum disorder. Theoretical knowledge in the field of autism and education of individuals with disabilities is compared with the content of specific educational seminars and with questionnaire survey from its participants. The analysis of the survey documents and reflects the needs of teachers and it is the basis for the workshop design optimization as well. The result of the presented work emphasizes the need to professionally educate teachers in the field of autism.

I vår studie intar vi en hermeneutisk ansats och genomför en textanalys. I vår studie tolkar, analyserar och kategoriserar vi innehållet i åtgärdsprogrammets behov och åtgärd. Utifrån diskurser konstruerar vi en ram som hjälper oss att tolka formuleringar i åtgärdsprogram. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur identitet, makt och matematiska begrepp synliggörs i åtgärdsprogram. I studien undersöker vi i vilken omfattning begreppen ovan förekommer i behov och åtgärder för årskurs 6 och 7. Vi utgår från ett diskursivt perspektiv mot makt och identitet. Vår studie visar att koppling mellan behov och åtgärd saknas i vissa åtgärdsprogram. Tillskriva identitet har den största andelen för åtgärder. Matematiska begrepp har störst andel för upptagna behov. Makt (makt genom kunskap och titel) har lägst förekomst i upprättade åtgärder. Det är varje skolas diskurs och dess skolpersonal som avgör på vilket sätt och i vilket forum som arbetet kring elevens behov fungerar. På samma sätt är den skillnad som existerar mellan olika upprättade åtgärdsprogram ett uttryck för den kultur eller diskurs som råder just nu, lokalt på skolan. Detta är avgörande om åtgärdsprogrammet används som ett fungerande verktyg. / In our study we take a hermeneutical approach and interpret text. In our study we interpret, analyse, and categorize the content of the IEP´s needs and arrangements. Based on discourses we construct a framework that helps us interpret phrasings in IEPs. The purpose of this study is to investigate how identity, power and mathematical concepts are made visible in the text of IEPs. In this study, we investigate to what extent the concepts above occur in the needs and arrangements for grades 6 and 7. We start from a discursive perspective on power and identity. Our study shows that the connection between needs and arrangements is missing in some IEPs. Attributing identity has the largest share of arrangements. Mathematical concepts have the greatest proportion of occupied needs. Power (power through knowledge and title) has the lowest occurrence of written arrangements. It is the discourse of every school and its school personal that decides in what direction and in what context the work toward the needs of the student. In the same way is the difference that exist between different IEPs an expressian in the culture that is dominant at schools. This is crusial if the IEPs is working as a functioning tool.

The implementation of inclusive education is a challenge to most educators. The real challenge lies in the management of inclusive education. The researcher, therefore, adopted a qualitative approach to understand the participants ’understanding of inclusive education and to answer the research questions that sought to explore the phenomenon of inclusive education as presented in chapters one and five. Chapters two and three presented the latest developments, policies and practices related to inclusive education, as well as management of inclusive education. A sample of five primary school principals and fifteen educators was chosen. Data was collected through in-depth individual semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews. It emerged from the literature study that inclusive education has become a reality in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and abroad. Most schools in these countries have been changed into full service schools. For example, in South Africa Tshiluvhi primary School became Tshiluvhi Full Service primary School. This shows that the government of South Africa accepts that learners with disabilities are part of the community and, therefore, have a right to receive equal and quality education.Although inclusive education is a reality in the above-mentioned countries, there are many obstacles that are still to be overcome. For instance, the issue of fiscal constraints, negative attitudes to disability, lack of support services, rigid teaching methods, teacher expertise, teacher training, time management and large class sizes are major impediments to the realisation of effective inclusive education. The same constraints were also raised during the interviews by most of the participants. Most educators and principals complained that management of inclusive education is compromised by lack of resources. Recommendations based on the findings of this study revolve mainly around the introduction of internal workshops, provision of resources and building enough classrooms to reduce the learner-teacher ratio. It was revealed during the interviews that members of the institutional level support teams and the principals of the selected primary schools were aware of their roles in managing inclusive education. For example, they manage finances to ensure the successful implementation of inclusive education and support and monitor teachers in the implementation of inclusive education.The study hopes to contribute to the existing body of knowledge and to be useful to teachers and various stakeholders by enabling them to find more constructive ways of building a successful inclusive education system. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education management)

Inclusive education is an international philosophy that places emphasis on the provision of special education services to students with special learning needs within regular classrooms. Teachers, regardless of where in the world they are, require positive attitudes to engage in discussions, adapt curricula, develop strategies and acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for the implementation of inclusionary practices. The aim and rationale for this study was to explore the attitudes of South Africans as expatriates in a foreign country (Oman) at schools where inclusion was recently implemented but where little research was conducted in the area. In addition, the purpose was also to gain more knowledge about the elements that may influence teacher attitudes towards inclusion. A quantitative approach was employed and an online questionnaire was used to obtain data. The small sample (N=35) limited findings to descriptive statistics only. The study revealed that most teachers held positive attitudes towards the fundamental principles of inclusive education but teachers held negative attitudes towards the practical implementation of inclusion within classrooms. Teachers who received training were more positive to supporting inclusion. Male teachers expressed greater negativity than female teachers towards inclusionary practices in schools but then male teachers were more supportive and willing to undertake training, engage in teacher support and work collaboratively. Teachers teaching older groups of students appear to be less knowledgeable and less prepared or equipped to deal with inclusion. Teachers with less teaching experience held more positive attitudes towards inclusive education. Recommendations were made to provide suggestions of ways to eliminate and discourage negative attitudes and research based recommendations for future research were listed. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

There has been a paucity of research concerning vocational training of learners with special education needs. The literature study focused on a vocational training and transition planning programme in the United States of America, which could provide as a useful guide to educators and school managers, when implementing vocational training and transitional planning in South Africa. Research was conducted using semi-structured interviews with educators and principals at special schools, observation of learners whilst performing skills training and documentary analysis, to explore whether learners with barriers to learning are receiving skills training that could position them for employment in the open labour market after they exit school. Findings revealed that principals and educators at special schools are faced with challenges in the learner’s microsystem, exosystem and macrosystem, resulting in the inadequate preparation of learners with special education needs for employment in the open labour market. Based on the findings, recommendations in terms of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory were made, to increase the opportunity for learners who experience barriers to learning, to be engaged in meaningful employment. / Education Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)