The beliefs held by school principals and SGB members about the value of inclusion in a township full-service school, special school, and special school as a resource centre

Abstract

This study examines the beliefs about the value of inclusion held by school principals and SGB members in a township full-service school, special school, and special school as a resource centre. The key aim of the study was to investigate school management and leadership’s core beliefs surrounding inclusion and their impact and influence on the implementation of inclusive practices. The study asked three questions: what are the conceptualisations of inclusion for the school principals and SGB members; what are the beliefs about the value of inclusion in the schools and; how do thesebeliefs influence the implementation of inclusive education in the schools. This study used a qualitative method. The findings in this study revealed that the participants from the three schools had different conceptualisations about inclusion. While the conceptualisations of inclusion amongst the schools were different, they were similar between individuals at the same school. Similarly, beliefs about the value of inclusion were all found to be similar, although they were expressed in different ways. The findings of this study also revealed that the challenges with inclusive education differ according to each school context. Also, the challenges with inclusive education were not only determined by the belief in the value of inclusion, but by the actual behavioural control which is the skills and resources to perform in certain ways in each of the schools. In conclusion this study argues that the fragmented approach to inclusive education makes the practice of inclusion in South Africa challenging. The participants of this study were selected through purposive sampling. The data was collected through semi-structured individual interviews for the school principals and semi-structured focus group interviews for SGB members. There were six SGB members in total (two from each school) and three school principals (one from each school). Therefore, there were 9 participants in this study. All interviews were audio recorded and the data was transcribed and then presented in the form of themes which were later analysed. The study proposes that there should be a clearer indication on how inclusive education must be approached using both the social model of disability and the medical model.