This thesis investigates the use of Inclusive theatre to disengage the ‘disabled'/ ‘non-disabled' binary for transformation to inclusive cultures. The research extends existing scholarship in Inclusive and applied theatre practices by documenting selected case studies in west and southern Africa. A sociocultural lens defines disability as a social construct, problematizing community reactions, systemic oppression and societal barriers as the disabling force rather than any physical or cognitive impairment. A series of participatory action research projects explore inclusion through an applied theatre praxis and critical/performance ethnography. Progressive pedagogy informs the methods, ethics, and values of each cross-cultural inclusive project. Participants with neurodivergent, or atypical (dis)abilities are contextualized as heroes within the metaphoric framework of the hero's journey as popularized by Joseph Campbell. Campbell's stages are juxtaposed with project workshops and performances to emphasize the universal application of inclusion, and the educational power of storytelling. The primary journey follows the development of Nigeria's premier inclusive theatre company; from drama-as-therapy beginnings to their professional performance of How to be a Superhero: A Guide to Saving the World. Supplementary projects with Hijinx Theatre in Lesotho and the Oasis Association in South Africa provide stories of igniting hidden talents and overcoming the obstacles that create barriers to inclusion in both the arts and society. An enabled dramaturgy details accessibility, authenticity, engagement, transformation, and aesthetics to debate the allies/enemies of inclusive theatre. Each project reveals the boons of adapting practices through considerations of accessibility, accommodations, and modifications. The culminating performances of each project provide evidence that storytelling, building relationships, transforming and engaging participants and audiences through theatre forges empathy, increases representation, and encourages visibility. Psychologist Philip Zimbardo argues that “Heroism can be learned, can be taught, can be modeled, and can be a quality of being to which we all should aspire.” (2011). This research, inspired by Campbell and Zimbardo, argues that inclusion, like heroism, can be learned, taught and modeled through theatre to create a culture of inclusion.

This ethnographic study examined the relationship between the sense of community and music education within the community of Santa Marta in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and a public high school in New York City. Guided by Turino’s (2008) framework for participatory music making and McMillan and Chavis’s (1986) framework for the sense of community, the pedagogical and musical practices of Santa Marta were observed and analyzed to form a definition of a participatory music community. This definition was used to examine the impact of participatory practices on a samba ensemble within a New York City high school. The findings describe how participatory music education both influences and is influenced by the participants’ senses of community in both settings and explores applications of participatory music methods to school-based music, particularly within urban settings. Participatory characteristics were found to be imbedded in samba’s musical structure, including the repetition of rhythms, the simultaneous use of advanced and simplified patterns, and the flexibility of the size of the ensemble. Music events in Santa Marta often lacked artist-audience distinctions with situations of performance and learning occurring simultaneously. Decentralized group learning was found to be a pedagogical tool with information stored in the community’s memory. Inclusive pedagogies, which allowed players of various skill levels to perform together in the same ensembles, maximized participation in both sites. These characteristics created a pedagogical structure that addressed many of the identified challenges of urban school music and provided opportunities for active student engagement. This study presents a possible way forward for music education in urban settings, a path based on creating an inclusive educational environment. In schools where sequenced music programs, funding, and stabile student populations don’t exist, participatory music has the potential to create ways for students of varying skill levels to find a place in school music communities.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Needs Education at the University of Zululand, 2014 / The main aim of the present study was to investigate whether or not teachers possess the skills which are needed to deal with learners in inclusive classrooms. The study also aimed to evaluate data regarding teachers’ qualification, inservice training programmes as well as their experience in the inclusive schools. The objectives of the study were: • To investigate whether or not teachers had the necessary skills to assist learners with special needs in education. • To find out if there were any teacher in-service training programmes on inclusive education. • To determine whether or not there was a relationship between teachers’ skills for handling children in inclusive classroom and the following teachers’ characteristics: - Gender - Qualification and - Experience One hundred and seven (107) questionnaires were completed by teachers in special schools and full service schools in KZN. To collect data a questionnaire which consisted of closed-ended questions was administered to teachers. A ChiSquare one-sample tests and K-independent samples as well as computer statistical programme called Statistical Packages of Social Science was used to analyze data. vii The findings of the study indicated that teachers had basic knowledge of how to handle learners with different learning needs and they felt comfortable with the skills they possessed. With regard to the availability of in-service training programmes, the results revealed that teachers benefit a lot from both Psychological Guidance and Special Education Services (PGSES) and Outcomes Based Education (OBE) workshops provided by the Department of Education. The findings also suggested that there was a relationship between teachers’ skills for handling learners with special needs in education and their qualifications, gender and experience.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree MASTER OF EDUCATION in the Department of Educational Psychology of the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 2006. / The aim of this study was to determine the challenges faced by educators in implementing inclusive education in primary schools in the EThekwini Region of Kwa Zulu Natal. The research methodology was in the form of a qualitative inquiry. Individual interviews of educators were conducted, and a questionnaire was administered to collect data. The results revealed that educators do not show an understanding of inclusive education and are uncertain of their roles. The educators' lack of knowledge, little or no experience, uncertainty about roles, inadequate training in teaching learners with barriers in learning and development result in a high percentage of educators holding negative attitudes towards inclusion of learners with barriers in learning into regular classrooms. The researcher observed that a remarkable number of educators are therefore uncertain about inclusion of learners with barriers in regular classrooms. Based on the views of the educators the researcher concluded that educators attempts are influenced by the tradition of referring learners with barriers in learning and development to outside specialists who assessed, wrote evaluative reports , gave counselling to both learners and their parents, prepared and implemented educational r#ogrammes and provided preventative programmes. The study revealed that teachers need quality comprehensive pre-service and in-service training.

A research report submitted to the Wits School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education by combination of coursework and research. Johannesburg 2018 / Differentiation, as a strategy within inclusive education, seeks to respond to the challenges and opportunities of diversity within classrooms. This is done by adapting and modifying the methods of instruction, curriculum and activities to address effectively the needs and the potential of diverse learners. In the light of this, many teachers believe streaming is a form of differentiation, and a way to respond to the diversity faced in the classroom. To investigate this situation, this study explored the extent to which the attitudes of teachers sustained the practice of streaming in secondary schools. It also assessed whether the practice of streaming was congruent with the principles of inclusive education. Streaming is the practice of separating learners based on their respective cognitive abilities and their placement in similar ability groups. By using a qualitative research approach, this study found that teachers believed that streaming enabled differentiation and effective classroom management strategies. The various attitudes of teachers showed that they assumed streaming helped to deal with the distinguishable differences in learners’ ability, their conduct and their perceived ability to cope with the curriculum demands. However, there was a misalignment between how streaming was practised and the principles of inclusive education. A fundamental issue was that those learners who were placed in the lower-ability groups were labelled negatively, and there was no differentiation that occurred within similar ability classes. In effect, streaming became a selffulfilling prophecy for those in the lower-ability groups. / XL2019

Women in the United States are underrepresented in high school principalships. A review of literature identified specific barriers that have historically contributed to this disparity including role congruity, normative male dominance, and gender bias against women. Furthermore, the high school principalship has been defined over time from a male perspective assumed to be the universal reality leaving the unique career experiences of female high school principals glossed over and often misunderstood. Similar barriers most likely have also contributed to the underrepresentation of female high school principals in Utah, yet intentional studies analyzing their unique career journeys have not been completed. A lack of understanding and awareness of the female high school principal experience in Utah may also leave their unique experience glossed over and misunderstood. The purpose of this study was to increase awareness of the unique professional journey of female high school principals in Utah and to potentially adjust the male-gendered lens through which this leadership position has traditionally been viewed. A narrative, phenomenological qualitative research approach was used to gather and analyze the career journeys of six female high school principals in Utah. The findings of this study indicated female high school principals in Utah have experienced similar barriers in their career journeys as those identified in the literature. Mentored support and examples of inclusive leadership practices assisted these women in moving through and beyond these barriers. The findings of this study imply that a male-gendered leadership lens continues to impact the careers of female high school principals in Utah; however, increasing an awareness of their unique career journeys may promote a transformation away from this perspective and generate a high school principal experience that is more inclusive and refined.

En 2017, la publication d’un manuel scolaire par la maison d’édition française Hatier a fait polémique du fait de son usage de l’écriture inclusive. La présente thèse, « Écriture inclusive : analyse définitionnelle et socio-discursive d’un phénomène linguistique », analyse 10 études publiées entre les années 2017 et 2019 inclusivement. Son objectif est de mettre en relief la lutte idéologique qui se joue autour de cette « écriture » en examinant les différentes définitions qui en sont données, ainsi que les divers arguments qui sont invoqués en sa faveur ou en sa défaveur. Nous commençons par présenter les origines du phénomène et nos assises théoriques et méthodologiques avant de consacrer nos deux principaux chapitres à l’analyse des définitions de l’écriture inclusive et des arguments avancés. Puisque ce travail se situe dans une démarche avant tout féministe, nous empruntons de nombreux outils et concepts de ce domaine scientifique, notamment l’écriture féministe, le point de vue situé, le féminisme matérialiste et la notion de genre. À partir d’une approche transdisciplinaire combinant notamment la linguistique, le féminisme, la théorie queer et l’analyse du discours, nous tentons de mieux comprendre le phénomène de l’écriture inclusive et la part plus ou moins scientifique qu’y jouent les spécialistes qui s’y intéressent. Nos résultats montrent une variété de définitions qui se recoupent néanmoins sur les critères suivants : constituer un ensemble de pratiques linguistiques, contrer la règle grammaticale du « masculin qui l’emporte sur le féminin » et inscrire l’entièreté des genres sociaux du spectre. Les arguments évoqués par les auteurs révèlent que ces derniers se situent parfois du côté de la scientificité, de celui du militantisme, ou parfois dans un mélange des deux. Cette vue d’ensemble nous a permis de dégager une définition générale du phénomène et une méthode pour appréhender le positionnement objectif et subjectif des personnes qui s’y intéressent.

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Using universal design instruction (UDI) as a framework, this study explores the inclusive teaching practices of four award-winning humanities and social sciences faculty at a large urban Research I university located in the northeastern region of the United States. UDI, a framework used to assist teachers in creating proactively inclusive instructional design, was used as a measure of inclusivity. Using a qualitative case-study approach, the study cross-examined the pedagogy of these faculty and unpacked specific techniques and practices embedded in their pedagogy that aligned with UDI. With each faculty member considered an individual case, structured classroom observations and interviews with target faculty, their colleagues, and student focus groups were conducted. Guided by the UDI framework, a cross-case analysis was then undertaken to determine the extent to which each faculty member met UDI principles. The study yielded descriptive accounts of multidimensional teaching strategies that incorporated universal design instruction. / Urban Education