Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Counseling Psychology and Special Education, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 102-110).

Thesis (M.S.)--Rowan University, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Rowan University, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Rowan University, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Communication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Summary in English and Afrikaans. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Bowling Green State University, 2007. / Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 134 p. Includes bibliographical references.

This study was carried out in the Mthatha district of the Eastern Cape with the aim of assessing the respondents’ knowledge, attitudes and practices in successful inclusive classroom management at the Foundation Phase in their respective schools. The study adopted a mixed-method approach in which data was collected from secondary and primary sources. Secondary data were collected from literature sources and existing schools’ documents while primary data were collected from the respondents drawn from nine schools in Mthatha area (coded A to I for anonymity) using questionnaire, interview guides and focus group discussions checklists. The nine schools were purposively sampled based on schools with Foundation Phase Programme, while 15 respondents were randomly sampled from among the Foundation Phase teachers in the nine schools for this study. The data collected were subjected to various analytical techniques such as descriptive statistics, frequencies and cross tabulations as well as graphical representations using SPSS to be able to identify and list the main findings from the study. Results from the study based on 75% questionnaire response rate revealed that the respondents had high (79%) self-rating of inclusive education content knowledge despite the fact that they actually had low (over 80%) with poor or fair content knowledge on the knowledge scale. The respondents demonstrated a high degree (over 80%) of positive attitudes and good practices and management approach toward inclusive education despite the fact that they had low inclusive education content knowledge. Over 80% of the respondents revealed that their schools are not ready for inclusive classroom teaching and management due to lack of infrastructure, equipment, training, teacher support and teacher-special assistant. The results from the quantitative data were triangulated and validated by the findings from the qualitative in-depth interviews and focus group discussions which reinforced each other. The findings presented were limited to the respondents in the nine schools used in the study area. This study thus concludes that, a huge gap still exists between the desired level of the state of inclusive education and outcomes as expected from the White Paper 6 2001 in 2012. The study thus recommends the ample need for the departments of education as a matter of urgency, to emphasise the inclusion of inclusive education contents in the training and re-training of educators at the basic education phase. Furthermore, all schools should be provided with adequate infrastructural support in terms of equipment and classroom-friendly environment for learners with special needs.

Mini-thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education (Educational Psychology) in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education at the University of Zululand, 2006. / Inclusive Education is very much in its infancy stage in South Africa and therefore a lot of research still needs to be conducted in this area. In an attempt to find answers. many questions are being asked about this topic. The present study is one of those attempts. It is an effort to investigate what was provided in terms of training and support to mainstream educators in an inclusive educational setting in two schools which participated in the SCOPE Project in the Mpumalanga Department of Education. These educators were all subjected to a two-week training programme before commencement of the project. The researcher embarked on a search to establish whether the educators believed the training and support that they received was effective. Various studies. both local and abroad. suggest that training and support are the two issues that the majority of mainstream educators are most concerned about. when it comes to the implementation of inclusive education. The researcher specifically puts aspects like pre-service training. inservice training and continuous professional development (CPD) under the spotlight. with reference to training. With reference to the issue of support. a closer look is taken at classroom support. professional collaboration and peer support, in order to get a clearer understanding of what is needed in this regard. Lastly. the researcher also looked at the skills that can act as a "minimum requirement'· for the successful implementation of inclusive education in South African schools. Data were collected through the administration of a questionnaire. The main findings revealed that the majority of educators believed that the training. support and skills they received in preparation for the SCOPE were effective. The results were quite surprising. given the fact that on an international level. Most educators were still mostly concerned about training and support. the very issues under scrutiny in present study. This may be due to the fact that the sample was relatively small. In the same vein the study reveals significant food for thought e.g. integration of preservice and inservice training programmes, as well as value of continuous professional development. In addition the researcher identify parental involvement and collaboration between special and mainstream schools as key focus areas. especially within the South African context. where the National Department of Education has embarked on a twenty-year roll out plan. for the implementation of inclusive education in all South African schools.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Educational Psychology at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2010. / This study focuses on a vital component of the transformation process on the South African educational landscape - district based Department of Education officials. This descriptive research project had three aims. Firstly; the study determined the nature of the attitudes of Department of Education officials based at the Pinetown District towards the inclusion of learners with learning difficulties at mainstream primary schools. Secondly, the study examined the impact of nine selected demographic characteristics of district based officials on their attitudes towards inclusion. Lastly, the study determined the degree of concern that district based Department of Education officials experienced towards 10 selected factors (eg. large classes, training of educators, curriculum adaptation, extra pay for teachers, time for teacher planning) in the implementation of inclusive education at mainstream primary schools. The research instrument employed in the study was a questionnaire, which was administered to all eligible Pinetown District based officials. Ultimately, 62 respondents were recognized as the members of the sample in the study. Quantitative data was analysed using both descriptive and parametric statistics. Qualitative data was content analysed to discern emerging themes. The results of the study indicated that Pinetown District based Department of Education officials generally hold positive attitudes towards the inclusion of learners with learning difficulties at mainstream primary schools. In addition the study found that the following five demographic characteristics are significant predictors of Department of Education district officials positive attitudes towards the inclusion of learners with learning difficulties at mainstream primary schools - training in special/inclusive education, contact with people with disabilities, experience in teaching learners with disabilities, knowledge of White Paper 6 (Department of Education, 2001) and the workstation of the officials. Lastly, the study concluded that district based Department of Education officials were very concerned that the 10 factors (eg. teacher workloads, provision of a support teacher, availability of resources, support of school management teams and the impact of included learner on the performance on the non-disabled learners) collectively could impede the successful implementation of inclusive education at South African schools.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR of EDUCATION In the Department of Educational Psychology & Special Education of the Faculty of Education at the UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND, 2005. / In recent years inclusive education has risen to prominence internationally. The issue of inclusion is essentially the relocation of learners, resources and expertise into an equally comprehensive, regular education system. However, in countries such as South Africa, the issue of inclusion entails extension and development, such that the limited educational provision already available can begin to include a wider range of leamers (Engelbrecht, Green, Naicker, & Engelbrecht, 1999: 26; Swart, Engelbrecht, Eloff & Pettipher, 2002:175). The discussion of inclusive education thus takes place within the rights discourse and has as its basis South Africa's new democratic constitution (Engelbrecht, Green, Naicker & Engelbrecht, 1999: 26). Schools are meant to be a reflection of a democratic society in which all members are accepted and diversity is celebrated. Educators will need to work in partnership with parents, leamers, other educators, resource centers and community-based organizations in order to successfully implement inclusive education (Campher, 2003:53; Corbett, 2001:118). Hearing impaired leamers constitute an integral part of the group of leamers who were labelled disabled and who were taught in separate, special schools. The South African Schools Act, No. 84 of 1996 which was passed in November 1996 states that •... a public school must admit learners and serve their education requirements without unfairly discriminating in any way" (RSA, 1996:6). This means that mainstream public schools may be legally obliged to provide for learners with special educational needs, and thus also hearing impaired leamers. 2 The principles and values contained in the new constitution of South Africa (1996) and in the White Paper on Education and Training (Department of Education, 1995) acknowledge that education should be accessible and all learners are to be given the opportunity to participate in a common education curriculum (Mowes, 2002:47; Oswald, Ackermann & Engelbrecht, 2000:307).