Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/37987

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Inclusive education

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    Teachers’ understanding of advantages and disadvantages of implementing inclusive education in one selected mainstream primary school in Ekurhuleni South district
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-09) Makama, Bathobile; Aloka, Peter
    Inclusive education was set to bring about change that has yet to be effective in the field. Many South African policies were created to guide it, but the contradiction has left many confused and teachers at the forefront with no support. This study aimed to investigate teachers’ understanding of advantages and disadvantages of implementing inclusive education in one selected mainstream primary school in Ekurhuleni South district. To achieve this goal, three research objectives were set to govern the study, namely: to explore teachers’ understanding of inclusive education in the selected mainstream primary school; to examine teachers’ understanding of the advantages of implementing inclusive education in the selected mainstream primary school and finally, to explore teachers’ understanding of the disadvantages of implementing inclusive education in the selected mainstream primary school. This study used the interpretive research paradigm. The design that was used in this study is a case study because it dealt with contemporary phenomena. The sample size of 7 teachers allocated to the intermediate phase from Grade 4- 7 were obtained by using the purposive sampling method. The research instruments adopted comprised of a semi-structured interview for three teachers and one focus group discussion for the other four teachers. The data was analysed by employing a thematic analysis framework to enable analysis of interview data. The findings of the study indicated that teachers have multiple understandings of what inclusive education such as; holistic teaching, team teaching, effective communication and understanding, accommodation of diverse learners, creation of special schools for learners with disabilities and dumb down content for support. The findings of the study also reported teachers understanding of advantages of inclusive education as; caters for diverse needs of all learners, enhances intrapersonal understanding of learners with special needs, enhances self-esteem of disabled learners and provides equal opportunities for all learners. The study highlights teachers understanding of implementing inclusive education to include; lack of teacher training, overcrowded classrooms, limited class time, overloaded curriculum, lack of support, lack of resources, incorrect infrastructure, teaching by trial and error amongst others. The study recommends that the Department of Education should provide continuous in-service teacher training on inclusive education.
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    Investigating teachers’ experiences of support for learners with hearing impairment at a special school in Pretoria
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-10) Molala, Lesetja Johannes; Mokala, Ntsoaki T.
    This inquiry explored teachers' experiences of support for learners with hearing impairment (HI) in a special school in Pretoria. Through a qualitative approach, data were collected and analysed to better understand teachers' experiences in providing appropriate instruction and support to learners with HI. Thus, using the interpretivism paradigm to inquire about the teachers support experiences for learners with HI was a logical step. I used Florian’s' theory of inclusive pedagogy to interpret the findings and draw conclusions I used qualitative methods such as interviews to collect data. A purposeful selection of participants was made to ensure the research questions were answered adequately. Thereafter, semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand each participant's perspectives in the study sample of six teachers. The interview schedule was designed to allow reflection by participants into their unique teaching experiences openly and candidly, providing invaluable insight into the dynamics of the study sample. All conversations were recorded verbatim to ensure accuracy. The recordings of the conversations were then transcribed for further analysis. This enabled me to easily recognise patterns and themes in the data. I then analysed the data to identify key themes and patterns. The findings revealed that teachers found the support they received instrumental in helping them effectively implement the curriculum and address classroom challenges. The study suggests that parents are actively involved in their children’s education which benefits all involved. In addition, the school must update its language policy to ensure that learners with HI receive instruction in sign language. Therefore, it is recommended that the school revise its language policy to incorporate sign language as a language of teaching and learning to promote learner success. To create an inclusive and equitable learning environment for all and ensure that learners with HI are supported, this policy should also be extended to include sign language in the classroom.
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    Exploring inclusive Practices, Successes and Challenges experienced by teachers in Implementation of Inclusive Education in one selected mainstream school in Ekurhuleni North district, South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Mamogobo, Amogelang Mankurwane; Aloka, Peter
    The realization of inclusive education in South African schools has been controversial. Despite numerous policies enacted, numerous studies have found low levels of implementation of inclusive education in schools. The study aimed to explore inclusive practices, successes, and challenges of inclusive education implementation in the selected mainstream school. In order to explore the study, three research questions were addressed, which inclusive practices are being implemented by teachers in the selected school? What are the successes of inclusive education implementation in mainstream primary schools in Gauteng? What are the challenges affecting the implementation of inclusive education in mainstream primary schools in Gauteng? Both the inclusive pedagogical method and the social model of disability approach served as the theoretical foundation for the current investigation. The present study was conducted using a qualitative research methodology with a case study as the chosen research design within an interpretivist research paradigm. The researcher used a non-probability sampling technique more specifically the purposive sampling approach, in which the researcher used their own judgment to sample the research participants. In relation to the data collection methods. The researcher used non-participant observations and semi- structured interviews to gather data. Interviews with just six individuals and one classroom observation were conducted. The study's conclusions reaffirmed the importance of inclusivity; there were many inclusive practices that were widely used in the study; and the school had achieved a number of successes, such as the purchase of infrastructure and the successful implementation of intervention programs to improve the learning experience of students who faced barriers. The challenges in the present study were vast and categorized into three sub-sections: teacher-related, school-related, and community-related challenges. The study's findings indicate that there have been major efforts to integrate inclusive policies, some of which have been successful, but that there are still many difficulties in schools. The report suggests that the Department of Education give priority to in-service teachers' initial and ongoing training in inclusive practices for a range of learner disabilities.
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    Teachers’ experiences of giving support and implementing inclusive education in a township school in Kimberley, Northern Cape
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Yeboah, Adu; Charamba, Erasmos; Aloka, Peter
    Implementation of an inclusive education policy in South African schools was a major milestone because it corresponded with the advancement of the theory of Ubuntu, which is at the heart of South Africa's educational framework. The policy's implementation in schools was also consistent with the right to education for all, as enshrined in the Republic of South Africa's Constitution of 1996. However, despite the initiatives on inclusive education, the level of implementation is still below expected standards. The study aimed at examining the experiences of teachers in giving support and implementing inclusive education in a selected mainstream township public secondary school in the Frances Baard education district of Kimberley, Northern Cape. The study adopted a case study design within the qualitative research approach. Purposive sampling was used for the selection of 12 teacher participants from one mainstream public secondary school in the township of the Frances Baard education district of Kimberley. Semi-structured individual interviews were used to collect data from the 12 teacher participants, and the collected data was thematically analysed. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems theory and Social Model of Disability guided the studies. According to the findings of the study, teachers implemented a variety of inclusive practises; however, teachers perceive inclusive practises differently, and how they are implemented varies. Furthermore, the findings revealed that some teachers are unable to implement the inclusive education policy due to barriers related to the teachers themselves, barriers within the school system, and barriers emanating from the community in which a school is located. It was also revealed that teachers used a variety of support strategies to assist students, such as changing seating arrangements, implementing remedial lessons, and allocating extra reading time to struggling students. In contrast, some teachers prefer to work collaboratively with learners' parents to provide needed support, whereas others prefer to work alone. The study concludes that, in terms of implementing inclusive education in South Africa, there is a mismatch between what is happening on the ground and what is supposed to happen in the classroom. Despite this, pockets of success have been recorded in the implementation process. The study recommends that the Department of Education consider retooling teachers, instituting teacher training programmes, raising awareness, investing in the policy, and adopting a collaborative approach.