Exploring experiences and practices of teachers in the implementation of inclusive education : a case of one full-service school in the uMgungundlovu District.
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Date
2016
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Abstract
After the first democratic elections in 1994 the South African Government was faced with
many challenges within the Education System. The Government committed itself to the
principles of an Inclusive Education approach in order to provide equal education for all
learners. The focus of IE is to provide education for all learners. Despite the international
shift to IE, fundamental tensions and contradictions exist in most countries between stated
policy and actual practice. Implementing IE policy involves not only redefining teaching
practices, but requiring teachers to develop an alternative sense of themselves, not only
professionally but as individuals. Full-service schools were then developed by the South
African Government to provide quality education to all learners via flexibility to meet the full
range of learning needs. Full-service schools are institutions that strive to transform
themselves – proactively addressing barriers to learning and increasing learner participation
and teachers in the learning process.
The study is aimed at adding value to the domain of IE, especially to the understandings of
the IE policy, implementation and intervention strategies thereof especially in the
Intermediate and Senior Phases. Data was gathered by the use of semi-structured interviews
and document analysis. The case study was conducted in one Full-service school in the
uMgungundlovu district. The importance of having chosen the Full-service school was to
gain understanding of how IE is implemented and if there are any differences in the teaching
methodologies or implementation of the curriculum. Findings highlighted that even though
there were successes in the implementation of Inclusive Education in this school, there were
still a number of challenges that the school and teachers still experience. Recommendations
included the availability of resources by providing and accommodating learners with special
education needs with the relevant resources, involvement of all stake holders in education in
the relevant sectors and adequate training of primary school teachers in Inclusive Education.
Description
Masters of Education in Educational Psychology. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2016.
Keywords
Inclusive education., Special education., Teachers of children with disabilities., Theses--Education.