The present study focuses on the investigation of the influence of teaching facilities and teacher training on the attitudes of educators towards the implementation of inclusive education. As a result of South Africa's particular history of inequalities and discrimination, and the context recent rapid social changes, most schools do not even have basic resources and are experiencing a serious breakdown in the culture of learning. These factors are viewed as part of the major challenges to educators and the policy of inclusion. If these factors are not addressed, they act as major barriers to learning and development, thereby resulting in the exclusion of many learners. The right of all learners to basic education is underwritten by the policy of inclusive education. Attainment of an educational right, therefore, focuses on the need to ensure that all learners, including learners with special educational needs (LSEN), are able to access equitable educational opportunities that will allow them to achieve to their potential. Inclusive education constitutes a challenge to the education system as a whole and in particular to educators in mainstream classrooms. The educators in South African schools are currently being expected to make major changes in the way they understand teaching and learning in the process of adapting to an entirely new curriculum. Teachers are expected to have the knowledge and skills to accommodate a range of diversity among learners. In international literature, it has been found that positive attitudes in educators towards inclusive education, play an important role in the successful implementation of an inclusive educational policy. From the literature, it becomes clear that, should educator's attitudes towards inclusion be negative, their teaching abilities in the inclusive classroom will be negatively affected. In order to achieve the goal of this study, a survey questionnaire which was completed by fifty educators (White and African) was conducted. The researcher was able to determine the influence of teaching facilities and teacher training on the attitudes of primary school educators towards implementation of inclusive education. From analysis of the data, it became apparent that these primary school educator's attitude was largely positive but they felt incompetent because of their lack of knowledge and skills, and because of the lack of teaching facilities and resources. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

The purpose of this study is to determine and explain the problems faced by educators teaching learners experiencing learning problems in mixed ability classes. A qualitative research technique, which aimed at studying educators in their natural settings , was used. To achieve this aim the study was conceived as a case study of grade one educators from three Primary Schools at Mpophomeni Township. A self-designed interview schedule that was supplemented by observation schedule was used to collect data. The interview schedule included questions relating to mixed ability classes, learners with learning problems, outcomes based education, problems experienced by educators in their classroom practices and the ways of coping with such problems. School, educator and classroom resource profiles were also used in the study to gather information that might be useful in the discussion of the findings. The research sites were three Primary Schools at Mpophomeni Township. In these schools there were eleven grade one educators who formed the population from which a sample of six educators was randomly selected. Three of the six educators who formed the sample were interviewed and observed while the other three were only interviewed. Interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed for data analysis, which was done descriptively. The findings of the study revealed that educators had problems when they were dealing with the content, assignments, assessment and resources and when they discipline learners. It also revealed that most of the problems were due to the introduction of curriculum 2005 in grade one in 1998, and the fact that educators were not trained to teach learners experiencing learning barriers. The study concluded that insufficient in-service training and the introduction of curriculum 2005 were the main causes of educators' problems, and a call to recontextualise the learning environment, which includes educators and the context in which they teach, was made. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

In the past learners with disabilities have experienced severe forms of discrimination, isolation and separation. They were perceived as persons with deficits and in need of help. They were separated from society as they were considered to be inadequate people. The discriminative practices against learners with disabilities and the doctrines of apartheid that contributed to discrimination and separation on racial differences resulted in learners with disabilities being doubly handicapped. The discrimination against learners with disabilities is largely the result of adherence to the medical model and deficit theory to disability. However, the current trends which support the social rights theory and ecological systems theory to disability which are consistent with the Constitution and its Bill of Rights, adopts an inclusive approach and promotes equal rights and equal opportunity to all people, including learners with disabilities. This commits schools to enrolling learners with disabilities and providing equal education opportunities for them. To provide a meaningful educational experience for all learners, education structures need to be enabled, and attitudes, teaching and learning methodologies, and the curriculum changed to reflect inclusive values. Furthermore, Education White Paper 6 (DoE, 2001) clearly states that classroom educators are the primary resource for achieving the goal of inclusive education. This implies that educators will need to be empowered to change their attitudes, refine their teaching practice and where necessary, develop new ones. Hence, this study aims to explore the teaching practices of special needs educators in the context of building an inclusive education system. A qualitative case study approach was adopted in this study, whereby six participants who were teaching at special schools were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule, exploring their day to day teaching practices. The findings reveal that the teaching practices of special needs educators are in line with inclusive practices that could benefit mainstream educators. Special needs educators adjust and adapt their teaching practice to accommodate and address the diverse needs of all the learners so that each individual learner receives a learning experience that "fits". However, acknowledgement and recommendations are made with regard to the challenges encountered when adapting teaching practices. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

According to the policy on Inclusive Education, teachers are increasingly expected to play a community and pastoral role in order to, in this way, be able to measure up to the needs of learners who are experiencing barriers to learning (such as, for example, self-mutilation). This study was undertaken to determine what knowledge and skills teachers have at their disposal to identify self-mutilators in inclusive classrooms and to provide basic aid to these learners. By means of a literature study, self-mutilation was elucidated, and attention was paid to an explanation of what exactly self-mutilation involved, the forms of self-mutilation, the causes of self-mutilation, self-mutilation and related conditions, and the characteristics of the self-mutilator. Linked to this, the focus was on the extent to which the teacher is capable of identifying self-mutilators in inclusive classrooms and providing basic aid to them. Focus was also placed on the community and pastoral role of the teacher, the teacher’s experience of inclusive education, and the National Strategy with regard to the Screening, Identification, Assessment, and Support of learners who experience barriers to learning. A full description of various therapeutic approaches and aid programmes that can be undertaken with self-mutilators concluded the literature review. This literature review indicated a gap regarding the availability of training programmes for South-African teachers without training or background knowledge of Psychology, to assist them in identifying self-mutilators and providing basic aid to self-mutilators. Quantitative descriptive research was used to gather data from teachers by means of a questionnaire with open and closed items. In this particular study, 319 teachers were purposively and randomly chosen from 16 secondary schools (eight Ex Model C schools and eight Township schools) from Districts D2 and D12 in the Krugersdorp/Roodepoort area of the Gauteng Department of Education. On the one hand, the questionnaire determined teachers‟ knowledge and skills with regard to the nature of, reasons for and characteristics of self-mutilation in inclusive classrooms, and whether they possessed skills to provide basic aid to self-mutilators. On the other hand, it was also determined by means of open questions how the teachers become aware of self-mutilators, the type of training they received to provide basic aid to self-mutilators, what they viewed being the influence of self-mutilation on teaching and learning and on emotional and social development, their views of the pastoral role of the teacher as well as what their attitude/view was with regard to the possible implementation of a training programme to identify self-mutilators in inclusive classrooms and to provide basic aid to them. Furthermore, the open questions explored the availability of support structures to teachers to assist them in identifying self-mutilators and providing basic aid to these learners, as well as the opportunities that teachers create for learners to talk about their problems. Results indicated that the teachers who took part in the study did not have adequate knowledge and skills at their disposal regarding the identification of, and provision of basic aid to self-mutilators. They were however in favour of the implementation of a training programme that would enable them to identify self-mutilators and provide basic aid to them. On the basis of the data obtained through the questionnaire, and in accordance with the literature, a training programme was developed. In the absence of training programmes for the support of teachers in the identification of, and aid to self-mutilators in South African schools, this study makes a distinct contribution. / PhD, Educational Psychology, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of visually impaired learners and their teachers regarding the extent to which the teaching and learning needs of learners with visual impairment are addressed in inclusive classrooms. The first phase of the study was characterized by a literature review. A literature review was undertaken to elucidate the concept visual impairment and to highlight the magnitude of visual impairment in South Africa. Attention was also paid to the place of visual impairment in the context of an inclusive education and training system. Furthermore, the literature study explored the characteristics and causes of visual impairment, provided insight into the curricular considerations that underpin the teaching, learning and assessment of visually impaired learners and highlighted the problematic nature of language development, cognitive development, social development and self-esteem development among learners with visual impairment. The second phase of the study comprised empirical research. Within a positivist framework, quantitative research by means of non-experimental descriptive survey research was undertaken to collect data in order to determine to what extent the teaching and learning needs of visually impaired learners are accommodated in inclusive classrooms. This was achieved by administering a closed questionnaire to a purposively selected sample of teachers (n = 80) and learners (n = 92) from the Fezile Dabi District in the Free State Department of Education to determine their perceptions regarding the characteristics of classroom teaching, learning and assessment for visually impaired learners. In addition to this, the questionnaire administered to the teachers also set out to determine whether the teachers possess adequate knowledge to identify learners with visual impairments in their classrooms. The data analysis revealed that general teaching and learning needs of visually impaired learners are addressed to a certain extent, but developmental needs related to language, cognitive, social and self-esteem development, appear to be underemphasized. In this regard, the benefits of a mediated learning approach in the context of teaching visually impaired learners was investigated and utilized in the design of learning activity examples that could be included in a curriculum-based teaching and learning programme for Grade 7 Natural Sciences classrooms. In the absence of curriculum-based teaching and learning programmes that address the language, cognitive, social and self-esteem development of visually impaired learners in inclusive classrooms, this research makes a distinct contribution. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Learning and Teaching))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of visually impaired learners and their teachers regarding the extent to which the teaching and learning needs of learners with visual impairment are addressed in inclusive classrooms. The first phase of the study was characterized by a literature review. A literature review was undertaken to elucidate the concept visual impairment and to highlight the magnitude of visual impairment in South Africa. Attention was also paid to the place of visual impairment in the context of an inclusive education and training system. Furthermore, the literature study explored the characteristics and causes of visual impairment, provided insight into the curricular considerations that underpin the teaching, learning and assessment of visually impaired learners and highlighted the problematic nature of language development, cognitive development, social development and self-esteem development among learners with visual impairment. The second phase of the study comprised empirical research. Within a positivist framework, quantitative research by means of non-experimental descriptive survey research was undertaken to collect data in order to determine to what extent the teaching and learning needs of visually impaired learners are accommodated in inclusive classrooms. This was achieved by administering a closed questionnaire to a purposively selected sample of teachers (n = 80) and learners (n = 92) from the Fezile Dabi District in the Free State Department of Education to determine their perceptions regarding the characteristics of classroom teaching, learning and assessment for visually impaired learners. In addition to this, the questionnaire administered to the teachers also set out to determine whether the teachers possess adequate knowledge to identify learners with visual impairments in their classrooms. The data analysis revealed that general teaching and learning needs of visually impaired learners are addressed to a certain extent, but developmental needs related to language, cognitive, social and self-esteem development, appear to be underemphasized. In this regard, the benefits of a mediated learning approach in the context of teaching visually impaired learners was investigated and utilized in the design of learning activity examples that could be included in a curriculum-based teaching and learning programme for Grade 7 Natural Sciences classrooms. In the absence of curriculum-based teaching and learning programmes that address the language, cognitive, social and self-esteem development of visually impaired learners in inclusive classrooms, this research makes a distinct contribution. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Learning and Teaching))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

In celebrating 10 years of democracy, South Africa has among other things placed even greater emphasis on human rights. The education of those experiencing barriers to learning, where it has been offered, has historically been separate from general education. The right to inclusive education is currently an international concern and can be viewed as one of the many initiatives that could steer this country into the future. However, other demands also highlighted in this research, make it difficult for ordinary schools to take up the challenge. The primary aim of this research was to investigate current conditions in one typical South African classroom in a disadvantaged area, with reference to inclusion. The study took place at a primary school and attempts to provide a rich description of the school, classroom, educator and learners. The context described is one likely to be familiar to many educators. The study identifies and portrays in detail the range of barriers to learning present in a particular classroom and describes the educator and methods used to accommodate learners. <br /> <br /> The findings indicate that this educator&rsquo / s classroom can to a certain extent be described as an inclusive classroom and some of the strategies used to accommodate learners are in line with inclusive practices. The final discussion raises a number of important issues with respect to barriers to learning, curriculum, educator training and school support. It is hoped that this study will highlight key issues and possible solutions that could facilitate the implementation of inclusion in South Africa.

In the last ten years, the inclusion of students with special needs in the regular classroom has become common practice in schools in many Canadian provinces (Bunch et al, 1997; Cummins, 2000). This is due to government legislation and policy (Special Education Implementation Review Committee, 2001; Valentine, 2001). The difference between policy and actual practice can be studied through analysis of implementation at the school level (Taylor et al, 1997; Duemer and Mendez-Morse, 2002). The issues of identity of teachers, principles, other staff, parents and students have been found to impact stakeholders' self-efficacy and decision making regarding inclusion (Cable, 2004; Chenoweth and Stehlik, 2004; Dyches et al, 2004; Avramidas et al, 2002). Power relationships between stakeholders develop in response to a change such as inclusive policy at the school level (Kugelmass, 2001; Pearson, 2000; Hargreaves, 1992; Blase and Anderson, 1995). / This study aimed to study the process of inclusion as it developed alongside identity and power relationships in a relatively new school with a strong cultural mandate. Students with special needs have been found to have additional difficulties due to cultural, linguistic, and economic challenges at the school level (Manyak, 2002; Hanson and Gutierrez, 1997; McCray and Garcia, 2002). The school in this study faced these challenges as well, due to their mandate to develop minority culture in a hegemonic English environment. / This study is an ethnographic case study of one school as it developed over the period of a year, in its early years of implementing an inclusion policy as set out by the provincial government. Through interviews, participant observation, and document analysis, data were gathered, and analysed continuously using the 'constant comparative method' of Glasser and Strauss (1967). This grounded theory approach led to a theory elaboration of sociologist Pierre Bourdieu's theory of social organization (1996, 1992, 1986, 1982). Bourdieu's notions of habitus, capital, and field were applied to inclusion, and the results brought new insight into the relationship between individual and group experiences of school for all stakeholders involved in inclusion. / Thesis ([PhDEducation])--University of South Australia, 2005.

Commitment to a single, inclusive education system has been the aspiration of reform in education in a democratic South Africa. The dilemma facing the democratically elected government was to write educational policy which, when translated into practice, would improve the educational standards offered to students in impoverished schools while at the same time allow the maintenance of the high standards achieved in schools which had been privileged under the apartheid system. There was, furthermore, the challenge of providing a curriculum that would be meaningful to students from diverse backgrounds bearing in mind the socio-historical moment within which education found itself.Research on inclusive education in the developed world has been extensive. There has been less research completed in developing world countries. Situated in the Pietermaritzburg area of KwaZulu‐Natal (KZN), South Africa, a developing world country, participants in the current study were parents of children with disabilities, aide workers, regular and special educators, managers who made decisions affecting the education of these children, and the children themselves. The research is positioned in the theory of interpretivism which provided the opportunity to give a voice to the participants, to interpret how they made sense of their world. The methodology used was qualitative description with an evaluation component. Qualitative description allowed the discovery and understanding of "a phenomenon, a process, or the perspectives and worldviews of the people involved" (Merriam, 1998, p. 11). Data are presented so that the participants' point of view could be understood and made explicit (Artinian, 1988). Using qualitative description, this current study explored the beliefs about disability and inclusive education specifically of stakeholders in the education of disabled children. The evaluation component provided the means of ascertaining the extent to which disabled students were having their educational needs met, and the extent to which the policy ideals of inclusive education, as articulated in White Paper 6 (Department of Education, 2001), were being achieved.Inclusive education in this present study is viewed as a multifaceted construct which shares a reciprocal relationship with various theoretical determinants. The determinants considered in the present study are (a) concept of other, (b) disability discourse, (c) equity, (d) reconceptualist/incrementalist approaches to inclusive education, and (e) prerequisites for regular and special educator buy-in.Findings revealed that there was evidence of inclusive education beginning to be implemented in KZN in that barriers to learning for many students were being addressed and removed. The specific provision in policy documents directed towards children with disabilities was behind schedule, however, and there was little evidence of full inclusion of students with disabilities in regular education. Reasons for this were multiple and were explored in relation to criteria at a macro- and micro-level, distilled from the literature, which seem to be necessary for the successful inclusion of students with disabilities.The most significant macro-level factors were (i) the legacy of apartheid and the democratic process, moving towards a liberal democracy, still being in progress; (ii) the discourse around disability espoused by the majority of the population resulting in high levels of ostracism of the disabled; and (iii) the disabled becoming lost in the wide definition of need in the barriers to learning approach to inclusive education.The most significant micro-level factors were (i) regular educators being reluctant to embrace the inclusive education initiative because of problems they had encountered with another recent initiative, the implementation of Outcomes Based Education; (ii) special educators fearing for their students if they were to be included without the requisite preparation and support; and (iii) some parents lacking the efficacy to access education of any sort for their disabled children.These macro- and micro-level findings exist within a multifaceted array of factors, an intricate web of nuances and complexity.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Mar. 3, 2008). Directed by Linda L. Hestenes; submitted to the School of Human Environmental Sciences. Includes bibliographical references (p. 114-123).