The main assertion in this dissertation is that there is a lack of adequate and appropriate parental involvement in the education of learners with mild intellectual impairment in mainstream schools in Sisonke District. Empirical research was conducted to understand the perceptions of parents and teachers of the involvement of parents in the education of learners with mild intellectual impairment in mainstream schools. The focus was on parents and teachers in an extreme poverty context in Sisonke District of KwaZulu-Natal. A qualitative investigation of parental involvement in five mainstream schools was conducted by collecting data through interview, observation and documents analysis with ten parents and five teachers. The literature that was reviewed focused on the factors that increase and hinder parental involvement, prevalence of intellectual impairment, theories related to family, school and community partnership and inclusive education. The research has revealed that the lack of adequate and appropriate parental involvement at mainstream schools admitting learners with mild intellectual impairment is influenced by factors such as poor socio-economic background, high illiteracy, cultural beliefs, and parents’ denial of intellectual impairment, diversity, lack of teacher training in parental involvement, lack of healthy inclusive climate characteristics, parents’ attitudes and perceptions. The investigation further found that there is an urgent need for teachers to acquire knowledge, skills and strategies for active involvement of parents in inclusive mainstream schools. Each School Management Team (SMT) should strive to create a climate of inclusion that displays healthy school characteristics in order to improve parental involvement in mainstream schools. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Since 1994, the South African education system has undergone a number of paradigm shifts culminating in the implementation of the policy of Inclusive Education as highlighted in Education White Paper 6: Building an Inclusive Education and Training System. The purpose of this research was to explore how foundation phase learners who experience severe intellectual barriers to learning are provided with high levels of support at special schools in the Pietermaritzburg district. A case study design was embarked upon as this allowed for an in-depth exploration of the above research question. Three special schools in the Pietermaritzburg district that cater for learners who experience severe intellectual barriers to learning were chosen for this investigation. Quantitative and qualitative research methods, consisting of questionnaires, interviews and observation were utilised. The findings reveal that educators at these schools do provide high levels of support to foundation phase learners who experience severe intellectual barriers to learning. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie het die navorser die probleem van kurrikulumdifferensiasie vir Wiskunde Graad R aangespreek, sodat leerders met erge intellektuele gestremdheid ook sukses in Wiskunde Graad R kan ervaar. Die primêre vraag wat aangespreek is, is hoe die vereiste begrippe en vaardighede van die Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring (KABV), vir Wiskunde Graad R aangepas kan word vir leerders met erge intellektuele gestremdheid. Die belangrikheid van die studie lê in die verskil wat differensiasie kan maak aan 'n leerder se geleentheid om sukses te ervaar volgens sy vermoë. Die doel hiervan is om leerkragte wat leerders met erge intellektuele gestremdheid onderrig, te bemagtig. Dit word gedoen deur aanpassings en aktiwiteite voor te stel wat tot voordeel van hierdie leerders in hul onderrigprogram geïmplementeer kan word. Dit sal daartoe bydra dat hierdie leerders die vereistes wat in die kurrikulum gestel word, in ’n beperkte mate kan bereik. Die navorsing is onderneem vanuit 'n inklusiewe perspektief aan die hand van 'n literatuurstudie en kwalitatiewe navorsing (gevalle-studie) wat semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude ingesluit het. Die resultate toon dat differensiasie wel moontlik is en dat daar verskeie aanpassings en aktiwiteite is wat leerkragte kan gebruik om hierdie leerders die geleentheid te bied om sukses te kan ervaar. / In this study the researcher addressed the challenges of curriculum differentiation for Mathematics Grade R to ensure that learners with severe intellectual disability may experience success. The primary question addressed was the manner in which the concepts and skills requirements of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), for Mathematics Grade R can be adjusted to suit the needs of learners with severe intellectual impairment. The importance of this study lies in the significant impact that differentiation can make in providing the opportunity for a learner to experience success according to his abilities. The purpose of this study was to empower teachers of learners with severe intellectual disability with the necessary knowledge, enabling them to successfully implement adaptations. This would allow the learners to achieve the requirements of the proposed curriculum, to a limited extent. Qualitative (case study) research was conducted from an inclusive perspective using a literature review and semi-structured interviews. The results showed that differentiation is possible and that there are several adaptations and activities that could be used by teachers to offer these learners the opportunity to experience success. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inklusiewe Onderwys)

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie het die navorser die probleem van kurrikulumdifferensiasie vir Wiskunde Graad R aangespreek, sodat leerders met erge intellektuele gestremdheid ook sukses in Wiskunde Graad R kan ervaar. Die primêre vraag wat aangespreek is, is hoe die vereiste begrippe en vaardighede van die Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring (KABV), vir Wiskunde Graad R aangepas kan word vir leerders met erge intellektuele gestremdheid. Die belangrikheid van die studie lê in die verskil wat differensiasie kan maak aan 'n leerder se geleentheid om sukses te ervaar volgens sy vermoë. Die doel hiervan is om leerkragte wat leerders met erge intellektuele gestremdheid onderrig, te bemagtig. Dit word gedoen deur aanpassings en aktiwiteite voor te stel wat tot voordeel van hierdie leerders in hul onderrigprogram geïmplementeer kan word. Dit sal daartoe bydra dat hierdie leerders die vereistes wat in die kurrikulum gestel word, in ’n beperkte mate kan bereik. Die navorsing is onderneem vanuit 'n inklusiewe perspektief aan die hand van 'n literatuurstudie en kwalitatiewe navorsing (gevalle-studie) wat semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude ingesluit het. Die resultate toon dat differensiasie wel moontlik is en dat daar verskeie aanpassings en aktiwiteite is wat leerkragte kan gebruik om hierdie leerders die geleentheid te bied om sukses te kan ervaar. / In this study the researcher addressed the challenges of curriculum differentiation for Mathematics Grade R to ensure that learners with severe intellectual disability may experience success. The primary question addressed was the manner in which the concepts and skills requirements of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), for Mathematics Grade R can be adjusted to suit the needs of learners with severe intellectual impairment. The importance of this study lies in the significant impact that differentiation can make in providing the opportunity for a learner to experience success according to his abilities. The purpose of this study was to empower teachers of learners with severe intellectual disability with the necessary knowledge, enabling them to successfully implement adaptations. This would allow the learners to achieve the requirements of the proposed curriculum, to a limited extent. Qualitative (case study) research was conducted from an inclusive perspective using a literature review and semi-structured interviews. The results showed that differentiation is possible and that there are several adaptations and activities that could be used by teachers to offer these learners the opportunity to experience success. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inklusiewe Onderwys)