The study documented three case studies of primary school aged children with Down
Syndrome attending ordinary public schools in Gauteng province, South Africa by employing
an adapted ecosystemic model (Donald, Lazarus & Lolwana, 2002). Triangulation and
content analysis was employed to analyse the data obtained from a parent questionnaire;
parent, teacher and teaching assistant interviews; documented reports; school observations; an
educator rating scale; a speech-language assessment and audiological screening. The study
found that inclusive education had been successful for the participating children. Their
communicative impairments impacted on the domains of communication, academic skills and
socialization in the inclusive school context and had the greatest influence on their
functioning in the ordinary school. The unique perceptions, attitudes and experiences of the
children’s parents and educators were found to have a profound impact on the inclusive
education process. The study found that systemic factors influencing inclusive education
within the South African context acted as barriers and challenges to the successful inclusive
education of the children and that their parents were the most influential and contributing
force to the success of the process. Paramount implications for the systems and subsystems
involved in the inclusive education process, clinical practice of Speech-Language Pathology
and for the advancement of theory and research are discussed. A valuable proposed inclusive
education process for the learner with Down Syndrome in the South African context is set out.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/4953 |
| Date | 11 June 2008 |
| Creators | Klompas, Michelle Shana |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 24203 bytes, 11169 bytes, 470207 bytes, 904982 bytes, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf |
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