A research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in Educational Psychology in the faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2018. / Education White Paper 6 was developed with the aim of transforming the educational system of South Africa from one of exclusion of learners with disabilities to one that is more inclusive of all learners. This was to be done through the establishment of an integrated educational system that embraces children with barriers to learning into mainstream public schooling systems. This system should hold a flexible curriculum, structures to provide support for teachers and other schooling staff in implementing and maintaining the new inclusive system. The skills of teachers are to be improved so as to effectively manage classes wherein diverse ranges of learning needs are present. The primary aim of this research was to examine inclusive education research conducted in South Africa since its implementation in 2001. This was done through a systematic literature review analysis. Articles were selected for inclusion in the review based on the following criteria: the studies had to have been published in peer-reviewed journals between the years 2001 and 2016 to represent the extent of research on inclusive education in South Africa since its implementation. Studies had to be data based (either primary or secondary) and documented in English with a focus on inclusive education in South Africa. Studies had to meet all the inclusion criteria in order to be selected for inclusion into the review. Thirty seven eligible journal articles were included for the current review, of which 43% (n=16) used a qualitative methodology, 16% (n=6) used a mixed methods design and 6% (n=2) used a quantitative methodology. The remaining 35% (n=13) were conceptual articles. To obtain a thematic review of inclusive education research in South Africa Thomas and Harden’s thematic synthesis approach of data analysis was used. The results identified the following main emergent themes: Attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and practices of key stakeholders, Dissemination of information, Teacher training, Contextual factors, History, culture and traditions toward inclusive education, and Collaboration. Findings of the review clearly indicate that there are drawbacks and limitations as well as successes in relation to inclusive education implementation in South Africa. There are lessons to be learned from the South African experience of inclusive education in relation to the implementation of educational policy and the need for research to inform practice. / MT 2018

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree PhD (Community Psychology) in the Department of Psychology Faculty of Arts University of Zululand, South Africa, 2012. / The aim of this study was to investigate the level of preparedness of educators from the Mthatha District to implement inclusive education. A qualitative design was adopted for this study. A random sample of 100 educators was selected from the junior secondary schools that have been converted to full service schools under the Department of Education in the Mthatha District. A pre-designed, structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was analysed qualitatively through thematic analysis and quantitatively through the use of the Statistical Package for the Social Scientists (SPSS). The aim of the study was to determine how well the educators were prepared for inclusive education. The findings revealed that sixty percent of the participants were comfortable with inclusive education because of previous training and experience. However, they felt that more could be done by government to support them so that inclusive education can be implemented successfully. The perception was that inclusive education was simply added to the existing workload. Educators felt that relief from their routine method of facilitating learning was limited. Forty percent of the participants were not ready for inclusive education due owing to the following factors: lack of training, lack of resources, and insufficient information on inclusive education. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that there should be ongoing support and educator training in order to equip educators with skills for successful implementation of inclusive education. A multi-disciplinary team approach is also recommended where educational psychologists or registered counsellors will form an integral part of the team.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education of the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 2008. / The aim of this investigation was to establish educators' preparedness for inclusive education: Educators seem to embrace the human rights philosophy underpinning the introduction of inclusive education. However the implementation of inclusive education is not easy as it signals a dramatic paradigm shift for mainstream educators. It involves a new way of thinking and behaving. Many experienced educators have found that they are no longer experts in their field and are concerned that they are novices regarding inclusive education. The success of inclusive education hinges on the effective preparedness of educators. The level of preparedness of educators will determine their degree of acceptance and their efficiency in the implementation of inclusive education. The first phase of this study comprised a comprehensive overview of the literature on educators' preparedness for inclusive education. The second phase involved research by means of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to a stratified random sample of 120 primary and secondary school educators in the Umdoni Ward of the Scottburgh circuit, KwaZulu Natal. The results of this questionnaire provided evidence that educators are not adequately prepared for inclusive education. The literature review indicated that educators in mainstream schools are generally not prepared to include LSEN in the mainstream class for the following reasons: ■ Large class sizes. ■ Lack of support. ■ Lack of knowledge. ■ Lack of skills and competencies. ■ Lack of resources ■ High stress level. ■ Time constraints. For the purpose of the empirical investigation a self- structured questionnaire was utilized. The data from the questionnaires completed by educators from primary and secondary schools was processed and analysed by means of descriptive statistics. From the findings of the research, the following recommendations were made: ■ The Department of Education must provide adequate support to educators concerning all aspects of inclusive education. ■ In-service training regarding inclusive education must be available to mainstream educators.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment requirement for the Degree of Master of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2009. / The current principles of education policies in South Africa reflect great challenges facing a society in transition. Evidently, the task undertaken by successive democratic governments since 1994 has been to address the inequalities of the past. Since as the capacity of country's building education in various ways - including Special Needs Education, Inclusive Education and Training System, in particular, the White Paper 6 (2001) attempted to promote, enhance and support the inclusion, participation and development of learners. This study examined the attitudes of primary school educators towards inclusive education, particularly the inclusion of mentally challenged learners. The study was specifically investigated the attitudes of primary school educators towards the inclusion of mentally challenged learners in mainstream education. It also aimed to determine the category/categories of mentally challenged learners which primary school educators preferred to be integrated in the mainstream. Additionally, the study also sought to establish how the following variables associated with the attitudes of educators towards the inclusion of mentally challenged learners in mainstream education: age, grade level taught, gender, type of school, teaching experience and class size. The study was both analytical and quantitative descriptive in nature, in which educators from primary schools in the Empangeni and Obonjeni Districts serve as accessible population. A structured questionnaire constructed according to a five-point Likert - type scale was used to collect data. Data were analysed both qualitatively and qualitatively. The statistical technique used to test the hypotheses was the Chi-square. The findings indicated that the majority of educators held negative attitudes towards the inclusion of the mentally challenged learners in mainstream education. Finally the findings revealed that the variables o£ gender, age, type of school, experience and class size have no influence on primary school educators attitude towards the inclusion of mentally challenged learners. However, the variable grade showed to have an influence on educators* attitude towards the inclusion of the mildly mentally challenged learners into mainstream education. Ninety percent of educators indicate that educators prefer to integrate gifted learners, mild and moderately mentally retarded learners; and Underachieving learners. Although not overahelmingly demonstrated, there is presumptive evidence that the work environment has an impact on the attitudes of the primary school educators. There is an urgent need for improvement of certain service conditions in the school setting to change the attitudes of educators. Lack of experience, lack of in-service training and lack of inspiration emerged as other factors retarding the implementation of inclusive education.

The introduction of Inclusive Education in South Africa was part of the democratisation of the country and was in line with international trends. Based on the Constitution, the South African government produced a policy document aimed at meeting the needs of learners with barriers to learning, the underlying principle of which was inclusion. The South African Schools Act was passed, clearly stating that a public school must admit learners and serve their educational requirements, without unfairly discriminating in any way. Based on the rights that all learners have, including those with barriers to learning, no learner can be turned away from a public school based on any discrimination. Previously teachers referred learners with barriers to learning to special schools, as they did not see them belonging to the mainstream. The purpose of this study was to identify the educators' perceptions about learners with barriers to learning and development and how this may affect the implementation of Inclusive Education. The survey method was used to identify the educators' perceptions about learners with barriers to learning and development and how this may affect the implementation of Inclusive Education. More detailed information on the essential aspects for successful implementation of inclusive education was collected through the use of questionnaire and interviews. Fifty eight participants were chosen randomly and four special school educators and ten education regional officials were purposively included as participants. The participants completed the questionnaires, and interviews were used to obtain response clarity or additional information. The collected data were analysed and categorised into themes. From the analysis of the data it became apparent that inclusive education requires new skills, knowledge and attitudes from the educators and, therefore, educator education and training should be revisited and designed to accommodate and support inclusion. Educators also agreed that there must be collaboration between the mainstream educators and specialized personnel such as therapists and education specialists from the Department of Education for successful inclusion to be able to address barriers to learning. / Thesis (M.Ed) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2007

The research here reported investigated the perceptions of professionals of the implementation of educational inclusion policy within one English Local Authority (LA). Using a mixed methods approach, utilising in-depth interviews, observation and documentary analysis this investigation was pursued through the collation and analysis of data to reveal the experiences and perspectives of the professional stakeholders in the inclusion process and evaluated these against the aims established in LA policy documentation. In seeking opinions and conducting this analysis the research provides insights into the current practices which impact upon the LA policy and will allow for discourse in respect of possible future developments. The thesis builds upon previous research and literature in the area of inclusive education much of which is reviewed within the work. This has informed the development of the multi-methods research model used for field work and data collection from a wide variety of sources. Complexities surrounding the interpretation are discussed and the thesis focuses upon opportunities to gather information which has potential value to both users and providers of the education service within the LA. Within this thesis the researcher views inclusion as the process of ensuring that all pupils, irrespective of background, ethnicity, race, religion, ability, disability, SEN or gender are able to participate fully in an educational setting appropriate to their needs, whether this be mainstream, special school, Pupil Referral Unit, or college. Being a process it is accepted that the factors which determine the move towards inclusion will be subject to socio-political, economic and cultural changes and that the research reported provides insights into a situation which will be subject to change over time. However, the insights gained provide an opportunity for discussion and debate within the Local Authority at the heart of the study which could have beneficial implications for all parties involved

The idea for this research emerged following previous experiences in schools in Germany and England, noting their differences and similarities, and their equally persistent problems responding to diversity inclusively. The thesis consists of an in-depth exploration of cultures, policies and practices in schools and their rationales regarding the development of inclusion in education. At the core of the thesis are responses to diversity I perceived in two primary schools, one in London and one in Berlin, focusing in particular on the active participation of staff. My experiences were systematised through an international, ethnographic case study approach, which included six months fieldwork, as a participant observer, conducting semistructured interviews and exploring school documents. I investigated the participation of children, parents and staff – the three main groups of people in the schools – looking at their roles, their interaction and the barriers they experience. I related my findings to current notions of inclusion and responses to diversity in education, both in the respective literature and in policy documents, highlighting local, national and international differences, their mismatch with educational practice and resulting discriminatory effects. I found the active participation of staff to be an essential condition for inclusion in education, which has so far been treated peripherally. The barriers they experience to their own participation limit their capacity to respond inclusively to diversity and to establish communities in which everyone, all children and all adults, are valued equally. Additionally, parents and children were found to be potential contributors to developments towards inclusion, but were often excluded from contributing to developments in educational practice, so their potential strengths as resources for inclusion were lost. Consequently, I argue that any approach to inclusion in education has to increase the participation of staff, as well as being supported through the contributions of children and parents. I suggest a model for inclusive school development: namely, a collaborative process between all concerned, to increasingly mobilise the individual strengths of adults and children to support the participation of all: children, parents and staff.

This thesis uses the accounts of teachers and senior leaders from two case study schools to explore issues impacting upon the development of inclusive practices within schools. The notion of inclusion is a complex and problematic one, and this study illuminates that complexity through the accounts and experiences of two ‘ordinary’ schools mediating the challenges of developing inclusive practices within the current educational system. The study purposefully focuses upon the perspectives of the teachers and senior leaders. Other voices, including those of the pupils, parents and support staff within the school, have not been included, in order to retain the focus upon gaining greater depth of understanding of the complex issue of inclusion through the eyes and voices of the professionals (teachers and senior leaders) engaging in the decision making and day to day planning for meeting the needs of all pupils. The study uses an ethnographic case study approach to gather data through semi-structured interviews, observation (including classroom visits), learning conversations and strategic focus group discussions. A three phase research approach has been developed to reflect ongoing engagement with the complex issue of researching perspectives towards developing inclusive practices within schools. A non-judgemental and non-evaluative research approach has been utilized, which moves away from the researchers’ usual role working with schools in a collaborative or advisory capacity, and models the need to create interruptions in thinking and practice to be able to fully understand the complex factors impacting upon the development of inclusive practices within schools. The perspectives and accounts of the teachers and senior leaders enable tensions existing within policy, literature, research and practice to be identified. The study argues that attention needs to be paid more to the emotional aspects of the experience of developing inclusive practices, and the impact that that has upon staff groups, rather than a narrow focus upon specific actions and outcomes. The centrality of values and principles which are shared and continually discussed and re-negotiated to produce an embedded inclusive school culture is acknowledged, as well as the impact of positive, supportive and inclusive staff relationships within this process.

M.Ed. / Educationalists the world over have recognized the need for different levels of school in and support to meet the educational needs of learners. In some countries, like the United Kingdom and Australia, these types of educational services are specified by legislation (Porter, 2002, p.3). The rationale behind this is that society has a responsibility to provide all learners with an education that meets their unique learning needs (ibid., 2002, p,3). South Africa is no different, with national and departmental policies providing guidelines for the provision of specialized education and the placement of learners within such contexts. While much research has been conducted in the field of transitions from school to the workplace and from special needs education to mainstream environments, little is known about the experiences of learners undergoing the transition from mainstream education to more specialized environments. The researcher became interested in understanding this experience of learning and chose to consider the case study of 1Mike Munch, a primary school learner, who underwent the transition from a mainstream school environment to a school environment for learners with special educational needs. In order to understand Mike‟s experiences during the transition, data was collected using individual and focus group interviews, a sandtray session with the learner and projective techniques. This data was coded and analysed using content analysis and presented against a backdrop of literature, including the policy and development of inclusive education in South Africa, whole school development, systems theory and an ecosystemic perspective, as well as developmental theories of childhood and transition theory. The researcher found that Mike Munch had become more independent and motivated, gained confidence and felt more accepted in the new environment, which was more structured than the previous one. He also benefited from more intensive support and while he had to adjust to different expectations and changes he became more motivated in his learning. From these findings the researcher developed guidelines for schools to support learners 1 Pseudonym used to protect the identity of the participant iii undergoing the transition from a mainstream school environment to a school for learners with special educational needs. These included involving parents in the process, facilitating small social skills groups for learners, maintaining regular communication between team members and the home environment, positively reinforcing learners, progressing at the learner‟s pace, tailoring tasks to learner abilities, allowing learners‟ special responsibilities in the classroom, using cooperative learning strategies to increase socialization, establishing a sense of community in the classroom and providing a structured environment for learning.

M.Ed.