UNIT 2.

INCLUSIVE
EDUCATION

OPV 222
Learning objectives:

• Construct meaning based on learning how to learn from differences

in inclusion

• Identify pathways to inclusion within the South African context

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
• Inclusive education involves the processes of increasing the participation of all learners in,
and reducing their exclusion from cultures, curricula and communities.

• It involves the restructuring of policies and practices in schools, in order to respond to the
diversity of learners.

• Integration of all learners irrespective of their diversity, including behavioural issues,

impairments of various types, disabilities, and other factors that make them different or
unique. They should be accepted into a school, as any ordinary learner.

• The fundamental aim of inclusive education is to allow every learner irrespective of their
shortcomings, an equal opportunity to experience quality schooling (Stubbs, 2008).
Implementing inclusive education 1. Acknowledges that
Is about empowering learners by all children and youth
can learn and that all 2. Accepts and respects
developing their individual the fact that all learners
children and youth
strengths and enabling them to need support are different in some way
participate critically in the process and have different needs
of learning which are equally valued
and an ordinary part of
our human experience
Is about maximising the participation of all
learners in culture and the curricula of
educational institutions and uncovering and
minimising barriers to learning

3. Enables education
structures, systems and
learning methodologies to
Is about changing attitudes, behaviour, teaching meet the needs of all learners
methodologies, curricula, and the environment
to meet the needs of all learners

Is broader than formal 4. Acknowledges and respects differences in learners, whether due to age,
schooling and acknowledges gender, ethnicity, language, class, disability, or HIV status .
that learning also occurs in the
home and community, and
within formal and informal
modes and structures.
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR TRANSFORMATION

Let’s talk about this:

“Schools and teachers need to commit to the transformation of their school

communities for the implementation of inclusive education to be successful. This
will help to promote attitudes of acceptance and willingness to facilitate the
necessary proximal processes. The importance of a supportive learning
environment, as well as having skilled teachers is essential for the
implementation of inclusive education.”

“Social transformation could take place through inclusive education.”

(Marimuthu & Cheong, 2015, p. 317).
 1. ENSURES PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

2. DEVELOPS STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS AND

SCHOOL LEVEL
BARRIERS OF LEARNING THROUGH THE SUPPORT FROM THE
DISTRICT

3. SUPPORTS TEACHERS AND LEARNERS THROUGH THE

INVOLVEMENT OF THE DISTRICT

4. IDENTIFIES AND ADDRESSES LEARNER AND INSTITUTIONAL NEEDS

AND BARRIERS THROUGH SCHOOL-BASED SUPPORT TEAM

5. ESTABLISH NETWORKS THAT PROMOTE EFFECTIVE

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LEARNERS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS,
AS WELL AS NGO’S; AND THE WELFARE

6. MONITOR STANDARDS OF LEARNING AND TEACHING IN

CLASSROOMS
Pathways to inclusion need to take care of:

• Academic and Social Inclusion in mainstream settings through curriculum differentiation.

• Teacher Attitude and Inclusive Environments

• Barriers and Facilitators to Inclusion

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5K5pn_2FfM (Video)
CONCLUSION

• Inclusive education provides you with skills for a universal design in education that caters for learning needs of
all learners.

• Barriers to inclusion are many in the education system but understanding them equips you to tackle them. Thus
continuous professional development through workshops and short course focused on inclusive education can
be beneficial for pedagogical practitioners.

• Various frameworks are used in inclusive education to implement inclusive education.