INC3701

Inclusive Education
Assignment 2

Name: Anne-Marie Grobler.

Student number: 65624297.

Assignment Code: 683258

Submission Date: 25 May 2023.

QUESTION 1:

Dudley-Marling and Gurn (2010:4) in their book “The myth of the normal curve”, contended that
to be considered outside of the boundaries of normal has consequences.

1.1) According to the Medical Model of Disabilities which learners are considered outside the
boundaries of “normal”.

The medical model of disabilities looks at the impairment first, it focuses on the impairment as the
cause of the disability and as the reason why the person is unable to participate fully in society. This
impairment/illness is seen as uncurable. The medical model of disabilities regards students with
impairments or conditions that are seen as outside of the norm or deviant from the typical
functioning of the human body as outside the boundaries of the norm.

These learners may have the following disabilities/impairments:

• Physical disabilities.
• Sensory impairments.
• Intellectual impairments.
• Mental health impairments.

These are seen as uncurable impairments/disabilities. These would also affect their ability to fully
participate in activities in society/normal schools.

The medical model justifies this view by:

Conceptualising the disability as a medical problem or pathology that is located within the
individual’s mind/body. The responsibility for accommodating the needs of these individuals lays
with the medical profession. They are to provide treatments/interventions to either cure or fix the
impairment.

This model has the assumption that the condition is static or unchanging. Also, that these individuals
are passive recipients of medical treatments and not as active agents of their own lives.

1.2) The consequences of being considered outside the boundaries of normal:

Learners with disabilities may face stereotyping and stigmatization and exclusion from
mainstream education. This is because they are seen as being abnormal or defective. They are
seen as in need of special treatment or special education that is different from mainstream
education. Educators may also be under experienced or under qualified to educate learners with
disabilities which in turn may also cause exclusion from educational activities.

From their peers, teachers, and educational system such students can encounter prejudice,
marginalization, and stigma. They might also have trouble accessing the curriculum and other
learning materials, which could impede their achievement in school and other areas of their
lives. These learners may also suffer a low self-worth, low self-esteem, and a negative sense of
identity, all which can have adverse effects on their mental health.

Additionally social exclusion, bullying and harassment are possibilities for students, this can
make their educational challenges even more difficult. In addition to perpetuation cycles of
poverty and disadvantage, this can have long-term effects, including fewer prospects for work.
QUESTION 2:

2.1) Key Principles of Critical Theory:

• Every learner has the right to access to education: CRPD affords all persons with disabilities
the right to education. South Africa has ratified the CRPD without reservations and it is
therefore bound by its provisions. Article 24 of the CRPD, in affording the right to education
for persons with disabilities, emphasises the principle of none-discrimination and requires
state parties the right based on equal opportunity. The South African constitution affords the
right to basic education to everyone.
• Challenge social injustices and inequalities: According to critical theory, each person has the
right to accept education, and each person has various strengths and limitations, thus
schools, teachers, and students cannot classify kids based on their weaknesses, and bullying
can inflict both physical and emotional pain.
• Celebrates human diversity: Diversity refers to the range of human differences, including but
not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, age, social class, physical ability. Diversity includes all
students no matter what their differences are.
• Promotes human rights for persons with disabilities: The convention of human rights for
persons with disabilities requires that reasonably accommodation must be made for
individual students with disabilities to enable them to access an inclusive education on an
equal basis with others. To assure every child a quality education that respects and promotes
their right to dignity and optimum development. Special provision must be made for those
learners who experience special needs e.g., adjustment of the curriculum or additional time
granted during exams.
• Promotes peace by striving to eliminate isolation, labelling, bullying and discrimination in
schools and society: labelling or discriminatory practices are eliminated. All learners are
accepted, respected, and treated with dignity, just as they are. Everyone belongs together on
an equal basis.

2.2.1. Challenging social injustices and inequalities in the classroom:

➢ By creating a safe and equitable classroom for students: Foster a classroom environment
where learners are safe and comfortable to express their ideas, opinions, and feelings. This
can be achieved by encouraging open dialogues, respect for everyone’s perspective and
opinion, and encouraging active listening. Empathy, kindness, and respect should be
emphasized within the classroom environment.
➢ Incorporating diversity through teaching materials and diverse perspectives: Incorporating
diversity through incorporating it in the teaching resources, such as textbooks and reading
materials to represent diverse cultures, religions, ethnicities etc. This helps students to
formulate a broader worldview and to challenge stereotypes.
➢ Explore social issues: Explore social issues within the classroom. This can be achieved by
engaging learners in discussions and activities on topics such as racism, sexism, poverty etc.
Students should be encouraged to explore these topics from multiple perspectives, by doing
this student can develop empathy and understanding.
➢ Teach critical thinking skills: Have students question social norms and stereotypes. Teach
them to look at media from a critical point of view as well as popular culture for underlying
messages and biases. Learners need to learn to identify injustices and inequalities and how
these impacts others life as well as their own lives.
2.2.2. Promoting peace by striving to eliminate isolation, labelling, bullying and discrimination in
class:

➢ Teaching conflict resolution skills: Teach learners how to resolve conflict in constructive and
creative ways, in the most peaceful manner. Students should learn active listening skills as
well as ways to learn to assert themselves without being insensitive towards others. They
can learn problem solving-techniques by learning to communicate and listen. Open dialogue
and compromise should be encouraged.
➢ Promote cooperative learning: By designing activities that encourage learners to collaborate
with each other students could interact with one another and learn more about everyone
within a diverse classroom setting. Encourage teamwork where children need to work
together toward a common goal, where they can appreciate each other’s strengths and learn
from one another.
➢ Implement inclusive classroom policies: Rules that explicitly address bullying, discrimination
and labelling should be developed and implemented. All students should feel safe and
valued in the classroom environment. Students should report discriminatory incidents and
provide supporting evidence to combat any such behaviour.

Question 3:

3.1.1. Culture and context influence learning:

o Educators need to start off by getting to know their students. This should include their
cultural and their linguistic backgrounds. This will establish a safe and respectful learning
environment that acknowledges every learner and their unique backgrounds.
o Using culturally relevant references and examples during lessons to make lessons accessible
and relatable to all learners will engage more of the learners.
o Offering learners, the opportunity to talk about their own experiences and their perspectives
on the content that they are learning can encourage listening as well as respectful dialogue.
o Use multiple LTSM’s such as video, sound, and images to accommodate different learning
styles and abilities.
o Community based projects foster connections to students’ communities and encourages an
understanding of diverse cultures and traditions.

3.1.2. Learners construct their knowledge from their experiences:

o Problem-based and inquiry-based approaches work well to encourage learners to ask

questions, research and investigate to make connections to their experiences and the prior
knowledge that they have gained through experiences.
o Offering opportunities for collaborative learning. Group projects and classroom discussions
allow learners to create new knowledge through interaction with their peers.
o Connecting what is being to real-world experiences for more authentic learning. This
requires the learners to engage more actively and meaningfully in their learning. This
enables learners to apply their knowledge to real world situations.
o Using formative assessments and peer assessments encourages students to reflect on their
learning and take responsibility for their own learning and progress.
Question 4:

4.1. Ubuntu values interdependence and dependence – takes a village to raise a child:

This African philosophy highlights the significance of working together as a community and the
importance of being supportive within the community. In inclusive education teachers need to
cooperate with each other, parents, students, and the stakeholders of the school to ensure that
every single student in the school receives quality education. It emphasizes that everyone needs to
be recognised and valued for their strengths, skills, and unique perspectives. In an inclusive
classroom interdependence and dependence can be fostered by encouraging group work, peer
teaching, and collaborative learning. Students should be encouraged to support each other and learn
from one another; this can create a sense of community where each student is valued. This creates a
sense of responsibility among students, respect for diversity and collaboration skills. These skills are
essential for creating a harmonious cohesive classroom environment where all students are
accommodated and feel as if though they form part of the community.

Ubuntu promotes a spirit of interconnectedness, social cohesion, respect and dignity, collectivism
and solidarity, communal enterprise, and legitimate leadership.

These values can be promoted by creating a safe and welcoming learning environment can be
created by having a safe and welcoming learning environment, where all learners are respect
diversity and different values. Teachers can use LTSM’s that include different cultures that responds
to a diverse classroom. Celebrating different cultures, languages and backgrounds can help create a
sense of collective identity and shared values. Teachers need to be fair and equitable in their
classroom, valuing their students’ inputs and provide support for their learning needs.

4.2. Promoting social cohesion and interdependence in the classroom:

By creating opportunities for group work and collaborative learning a teachers can foster positive
relationships among their students. Encouraging participation in extra curricular activities such as
sports and drama clubs to bring down any social barriers. Celebrating diversity and valuing cultural
differences can teach students to value each other. Teachers can also model respectful behaviour by
treating all their learners with dignity and respect and by speaking respectfully. Teachers can also
teach students leadership by empowering their learners to take responsibility for their own learning.
Students should be allowed to express their opinions and ideas and their input should be valued.
Question 5:

5.1 Five strategies for promoting human rights in an inclusive education setting:

Curriculum modifications: Diversity should be embraced in an inclusive education setting. Within a

curriculum social issue such as race, ethnicity and religion should be addressed. Content should be
added to the curriculum to develop the spirit of human rights. (Diverse cultures can be incorporated
into lessons by having modules on different holidays in different religions and how religions are
different and similar)

A safe atmosphere should be provided: A safe environment ensures that learners learn optimally.
Bullying, harassment, and any other forms of discrimination should be prevented. A zero-tolerance
policy should be implemented. Rules and regulations should be put in place to safeguard students.
Students should feel safe and be able to express themselves. (A school can implement an anti-
bullying plan and have learners report any such incidences)

Educators should receive regular training: Educators should be equipped with the necessary skills
and to work with learners from diverse backgrounds. Training should be held to help them create an
inclusive culture that fosters human rights. Training sessions should include topics like classroom
management that supports learners. (Annual training can be arranged to educate teachers)

Developing partnerships with the wider community: Inclusivity is an ongoing process that seeks to
unify by promoting human rights. Actively participating in the community can help students realise
the importance of community. Partnering with NGO’s, government institutions, can help awareness
on the importance of inclusive education.

Celebrating diversity: The differences between everyone should be celebrated and appreciated. The
diverse background of all learners should be incorporated in schools to encourage inclusion. Diversity
in all respective cultures and traditions can demonstrate to learners how different people live. (a play
can be arranged to showcase different cultures and religions in the school)

5.2. The white paper 6 has led to the promotion of an inclusive education system where children are
entitled to receive education. This has promoted access to education for children who have
disabilities that were previously excluded due to their learning barriers. The policy also aided in
developing a framework for identifying and assisting learners with disabilities to participate in the
educational system, this included the development of IEPs and the provision of support for learners
with barriers.

The implementation has also had its own challenges such as lack of funding and too little resources
for teacher that resulted in failure to provide education to learners that are disabled. The policy
implementation also revealed a lack of awareness, sensitivity, and inadequate preparation among
educational staff. This created a less conducive environment.

There was also a lack of infrastructure in schools, not the correct equipment, and supporting
technology, which made it harder to teach children with special needs. Many schools were not
prepared in the correct way to teach children with special needs. This came forth more in rural areas.

White paper 6 implementation had some successes as well as some failures. The policy has created a
framework for inclusive education and addressed many of the barriers facing learners with
disabilities. The lack of resources and teacher knowledge negatively impacted the provision of quality
special needs education. The government needs to invest more in providing adequate resources and
training to ensure that the implementation of inclusive education is on the same quality as
mainstream education.

5.3. By providing inclusive education, mainstream education acknowledges to accommodate diverse

learning needs and abilities of all students. Inclusive education creates an environment where all
students feel safe and valued while that can also participate in their own learning experiences that
accommodate their unique needs. Providing them with equal access and opportunities.

Inclusive education also combats stigmatization and discrimination against people who have
disabilities in society and within schools. In promoting empathy, societal interaction, and respect.
Inclusive education is seen as a model on how to promote equal opportunities and rights for all.

The committee on the rights for people with disabilities states that people who are disabled have the
right to participate fully in society. Inclusive education is a vital way for promoting their rights.
Schools that create inclusive learning environments, being mainstream and full-service schools,
these can promote the social model of disabilities and contribute to building more inclusive
communities.

5.4. Encouraging participation: Inclusivity entails actively participating of students and engaging them
in the learning process, regardless of their backgrounds, race, or socio-economic status. Encouraging
participation creates a sense of belonging and responsibility.

Promote diversity and equality: Inclusivity recognises and diversity in all its forms. To encourage
diversity and culture through special events and other initiatives helps to promote social cohesion in
schools.

Building positive relationships: Inclusivity focusses on the importance of building positive

relationships within the school community. Good positive relationships foster trust, respect, and
empathy.

Encourage open communication: Effective communication is essential. Communication can be

encouraged through having regular meetings, parent-teacher meetings to create a sense of
transparency in schools.

Creating a safe and inclusive environment: Creating a safe environment through anti-bullying
policies, gender policies and other initiatives creates a sense of wellbeing amongst students.