Magister Educationis - MEd / 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. The findings indicate that this educator’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. / South Africa

Magister Educationis - MEd / This study investigated the challenges of implementing inclusive education in one Khayelitsha mainstream school. The key objectives of this study were to determine which aspects of implementation have worked well in the school and which have not, while exploring the underlying reasons in each case. / South Africa

No description available.

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.

This study investigated the relationship of the elements of professional development and the attitudes of teachers and principals toward inclusion. Participants in the study were the teachers and principals in Indiana schools designated as "Inclusion Schools" by the Indiana State Legislature in the summer of 1992. Thirty-one schools of the 50 designated schools were approved for data collection. Three hundred ninety teachers and 31 principals responded to the survey instrument.The dependent variables were the attitudes of the participants toward the inclusion process and the concept of inclusion. The independent variables were six characteristics of professional development: design, presenters, location, attendance requirement, when professional development occurred, and how much professional development was received. Additional independent variables were demographic information such as: age, experience, level of education, and if special education classes had been taken at the university.The conclusions of this study for teachers found positive relationships with the dependent variables for inclusion professional development characteristics: design by building based decision making, presentations by special education administrators and staff, the location in the home school, voluntary attendance, and the more professional development the more positive the teachers' attitudes. A negative relationship was found when professional development occurred before inclusion began. The age and experience of the teachers had a negative relationship to positive attitudes toward inclusion.The only positive relationship between the principals' attitudes toward inclusion and professional development found that attitudes were more positive when more professional development was attended. They were positive when the professional development took place before inclusion began. Other findings reflected negative relationships with inclusion professional development characteristics for: location, design, presenters, and attendance requirement. The more inclusion aide support the principals had, the more positive were their attitudes toward inclusion.The teacher findings in this study were supported by literature and prior research findings by the NASBE Study (1992), Miller & Lieberman (1988), Brehm's Reactance Theory (1983-84), and Pearman et. al. (1992).The principal findings were not conclusive and further study should be made to find how inclusion professional development can develop positive principals' attitudes toward inclusion. / Department of Educational Administration and Supervision

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1938.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1938.

The purpose of this study was to determine what support and programmatic changes high school teachers view as necessary for the successful implementation of a mainstreaming program as described in the Regular Education Initiative (REI). The REI is a position statement from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, that calls for a new partnership between regular and special educators in addressing the needs of all children with learning problems, including those with disabling conditions. This study utilized the standardized focus group interview method to determine the opinions of high school general education and special education teachers regarding the resources, professional development, and programmatic changes which would support an increase in mainstreaming of students with learning disabilities (LD). Several unanticipated themes emerged in the interviews, giving indications of teachers' beliefs about students with LD, changes in the structure of the general education classroom with mainstreamed students, LD as a viable category of special education, and reactions to assumptions found in the REI. Teachers were largely unsupportive of changes suggested in the REI, believing that they were unprepared to deal with students with special needs, and preferring to retain the continuum of services provided by a special education department. Beliefs about LD as a special education category, and attitudes toward students with LD were largely positive. Although teachers' understanding of what constitutes a learning disability was inconsistent and vague, there was agreement in the viability of this special education category. Teachers reported positive reactions toward students with LD and appreciation for the services that accompany them into the general education classroom. In response to the research questions, teachers preferred the presence of a special education teacher in the general education classroom or access to special education personnel, over more materials or texts. There was some speculation that general education teachers, while willing to adjust some classroom practices for students with different learning styles, were less committed to the prospect of reconceptualizing the knowledge base of general education teachers, preferring to rely on the presence of special education teachers for specialized strategies and materials. Special educators and general educators were in agreement on most issues related to the research questions. Results of this study hold implications for teachers, researchers, school administrators, and particularly special education department chairs and directors.

No description available.

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.