The implementation of inclusive education in South Africa after ten years of democracy

Abstract

Inclusive education in South Africa has not been promoted as simply one more option for education but as an educational strategy that can contribute to a democratic society. After the end of the Apartheid era the new democratic government committed itself to the transformation of education and key policy documents and legislation stress the principle of education as a basic human right as enshrined in the Constitution. White Paper 6: Special Needs Education, building an inclusive education and training system (2001) provides a framework for systemic change for the development of inclusive education. As a philosophy, the concept of inclusive education in the South African context embraces the democratic values of equality and human rights and the recognition of diversity. Research however indicates that multifaceted societal changes, encompassing educational reforms and contextual changes, including the management of diversity in schools, have had a negative impact on the implementation of inclusive education. After ten year of democracy, the enduring tension between changing the structure of education and changing the process of education is still influencing progress. Enhancing the recognition and acceptance of the basic rights of all South African children to be accommodated in inclusive school communities therefore remains a challenge. Separate education departments, governed by specific legislation and fragmented along racial lines, reinforced the divisions in the education system (Engelbrecht, Howell, & Bassett, 2002).

An examination of pre-service teachers' attributions for students with specific learning difficulties

“…Some researchers reported positive attitudes on the part of teachers to the principle of the inclusion of students with disabilities (Abbott, 2006;Avramidis & Kalyva, 2007;Marshall, Ralph, & Palmer, 2002). Demonstrating the gap between principles and practice, however, other research has reported neutral or ambivalent attitudes and limited knowledge on the part of mainstream teachers (Engelbrecht, 2006;Ring, 2005;Walton, 2011). In a review of 26 empirical studies focused on teachers in mainstream primary schools, for example, de Boer and her colleagues reported that most teachers were neutral or negative in their attitudes towards inclusive education (de Boer, et al, 2011).…”

Implementation of Inclusive Education in Three Schools of Mthatha District in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

“…Booth & Ainscow (1998) (as cited in Engelbrecht, 2006), maintains that schools should be at the centre of support aimed at enhancing the capacity of individual schools to promote the participation and learning of an increasing diverse range of learners. All the participating educators in this study noted that they did not have many resources to support them, except for charts provided to some of them.…”

“…All the participating educators in this study noted that they did not have many resources to support them, except for charts provided to some of them. Such deficiencies underscore Engelbrecht's (2006) view that lack of resources and lack of institutional capacity (both in administrative systems and in suitably trained teachers) constrain the successful implementation of new education policies.…”

“…Three educators from one school also noted they did not receive support but that the SMT referred such learners to appropriate special schools. Engelbrecht (2006) observes that NCSNET/NCESS Report recommendations were largely phrased in the language of human rights, which differs radically from that of the medical model. From the findings of the current study, it was clear that the principals could not provide support to an initiative with which they were not familiar.…”

School Effectiveness and Inclusion: Cases of Selected Secondary Schools in the Free State, South Africa

“…The broad transformation of South African society towards equality coincided with the initiation of inclusion as promulgated in international documents such as the Salamanca Statement (1994) and Dakar World Education Forum (2000) (Engelbrecht 2006;Nkoane 2006).…”