ETD Collection

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/104


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Subject: search.filters.subject.Special education--South Africa

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Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
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    Obstacles and opportunities for students with disabilities in entering and in preparation to graduate into professions in higher learning: the case of a University in South Africa
    (2016) Ndlovu, Sibonokuhle
    This study explores how obstacles are confronted, and opportunities presented to students with disabilities to enter and be professionalised into Medicine, Law and Education, at an institution of higher learning in South Africa. The argument for the thesis is that policies of non-discrimination, same entry requirements and individual accommodations, makes it appears as if students with disabilities have an equal opportunity of access, professionalisation and completing the programmes within the minimum stipulated time. However, the Institution and the work settings for integrated learning are not totally transformed and there is a lack of radical inclusion, to allow all diverse students to be included. As such, students with disabilities confront inequitable structures and practices at entry and professional learning, resulting in them taking longer to complete the specific programmes. Through the mixed method research, the main finding of the study is that the same entry level requirements for all students, a lack of understanding of the prior disadvantage of attending special schools, and the nature of specific professions, limit students with disabilities’ entry into Medicine and Law. Access to Education is limited, particularly by the inaccessible built environment of the School of Education. Exclusionary teaching practices present a major barrier to professional learning. At the work setting for integrated learning, the built environment is inaccessible, and attitudes are negative. Individual accommodations at the Institution are not necessarily extended to field practice. Thus, despite the level of institutional transformation and individual accommodations, professionalisation both at the Institution and at the work settings for integrated learning, is limited. Change and improvement is hence recommended. The unique theoretical contribution lies in the application of Decolonial Theory to a disability study. It makes visible the invisible underlying reasons for oppression, unconsciousness, resistance to change, and reason to privilege suppressed voices, including those of persons with disabilities.
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    Teachers' teaching strategies in a sample of South African inclusive classrooms
    (2016) Lake, Nicola
    The study explored how teachers in mainstream schools in South Africa attempt to ensure all learners are included in the classroom as active participants. Inclusive education has been the educational policy in South Africa since 2001 and teachers are invaluable in implementing it, thus this research explored what teachers do in the classroom to ensure all learners are included as active participants. In particular the study explored whether teachers use learner-centred and differentiated instruction, strategies recommended for the inclusive classroom. Barriers and differences among learners that teachers consider in ensuring inclusion of learners in the curriculum and classroom as well as factors that hamper their ability in ensuring inclusion of learners were also explored. The sample of the study consisted of 14 teachers from four primary schools in the Johannesburg East region. Three focus groups and one individual interview were conducted. Questions looked at teaching strategies teachers use in their inclusive classrooms, factors among learners they consider in creating inclusive lessons and factors that hamper their implementation of inclusive education. It was found that teachers view learner-centred and differentiated instruction as useful within the inclusive classroom and they indicated that they do use these strategies. However, teachers indicated that they have received insufficient pre and in-service training for such strategies and for inclusive education in general and that there is thus a need to improve pre and in-service training for inclusive education. Moreover, commonly occurring factors such as large classes, limited resources, heavy workload, insufficient support services and time constraints were argued to make such strategies difficult to use. In discussing differences among learners considered in creating inclusive lessons teachers focused on cognitive and academic differences, while differences in culture, learning styles, interests, personality and socio-economic background were discussed infrequently. Barriers that teachers discussed as important to accommodate for in the inclusive classroom included hearing, visual and emotional barriers and poor concentration. Language was also identified as an important barrier to accommodate for. The family were identified as an important resource in achieving the goals of inclusive education, however it was indicated that there is a lack of family involvement. Limitations of the study are also discussed as well as directions for future research.