“Not Just on the Sideline”: A Phenomenological Study of Disability, Belonging, and Exclusion

South Africa adopted a policy on inclusive education in 2001 to ensure that all learners are accommodated and accepted in the classrooms despite their differences. This study was aimed at exploring the inclusion of learners with learning disabilities in mainstream primary schools for teaching and learning. This study followed a qualitative approach embedded in a descriptive phenomenological design. Data were generated through in-depth interviews with individual participants and were analysed thematically for content. Six teachers from six different mainstream primary school classrooms were purposefully selected for the study. Findings revealed that overcrowding, time constraints and lack of parental involvement impede the inclusion of learners with learning disabilities in mainstream classrooms. However, teachers use: (1) multi-level teaching, (2) concrete teaching and/or learning aids, (3) differentiated instruction and (4) code-switching in accommodating learners with learning disabilities. This study argues that for learners with learning disabilities to be more included in mainstream classrooms, the learner population should be reduced to a maximum of 30 learners per class, and collaboration with parents should be enhanced. Also, the arrangement of learners for teaching and learning could be limited to small groups consisting of four to five learners. Multi-level teaching and differentiated instruction should be applied in settings that do not require learners to be separated from their peers without learning disabilities. This study will help improve teachers' inclusive classroom pedagogical practices for all learners including those with learning disabilities.

This study investigates the attitudes of parents of typically developing students towards teaching students with disabilities in the mainstream classrooms, in relation to various family characteristics. This quantitative research employed a descriptive questionnaire survey to investigate the attitudes of parents of typically developing students towards teaching learners with disabilities in regular classrooms. A total of 419 parents of students from Cycle 1 and 2 classrooms in the United Arab Emirates completed the questionnaire. Parents showed positive attitudes towards teaching students with disabilities in the mainstream classrooms. Respondents who had no schooling were found to express more positive attitudes than those who had a college or university education, as were those with a ‘schooling’ level of education. The results revealed no significant relationship between respondents' attitudes towards inclusion and their gender, age, place of residence or the number of children in the family. The UAE Ministry of Education should recognize the importance of this study's findings when implementing the ministerial resolution regarding the philosophy of educational inclusion in all mainstream schools in the UAE. This can be seen as a measure to improve the quality of life and education of all marginalized students, especially those with disabilities.

In 1977, Italy adopted a policy to fully include students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms. This study surveyed the attitudes of Italian teachers towards inclusive education 40 years after this reform. The data were collected from 153 basic school teachers using the Teachers' Attitudes towards Inclusion Scale (TAIS). The results indicate that the Italian teachers had a high level of commitment to inclusive education. Approximately 90% of the respondents agreed that students with special educational needs should be educated in mainstream classrooms, and only 7% felt that they should be transferred to special education classrooms instead. To improve the quality of inclusive education, the teachers most frequently mentioned the need for more in‐service training, smaller class sizes, and additional help from support teachers and therapists in the classroom.

Significant shifts in policy have been made in most of the developing nations, such as Pakistan, with regard to the inclusion of children with diverse learning needs, in particular those with disabilities. The main goal of this study was to investigate the attitudes and self-efficacy of teachers towards differently abled children in mainstream schools. Data was collected from three hundred and sixty one (361) primary school teachers working in Multan District, where an inclusive education pilot project is being implemented, using a quantitative research design. The results regarding the teachers’ current practices, teachers’ attitudes, and teachers’ sense of self-efficacy towards differently abled children indicate an overall positive attitude in mainstream schools. However, results showed that on the basis of teacher’s gender, location, professional, and academic qualifications there was no statistically significant difference in their attitude except in the domain of teaching experience. The current study suggests that teachers’ in Multan need to be required to engage in professional training focused on effectively managing students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms. These trainings seem to be offering great support for these teachers.

In this article I look at how education thought and practice can act as a barrier inclusion in early childhood education for children with disabilities and their families. I suggest that changes in thought and practice are necessary if early childhood education is progress inclusion for all children and families. Inclusion in education is about identifying and removing barriers that get in way of a child's full acceptance, participation, and learning, so that all children receive high-quality, inclusive early educational experiences (Ballard, 1999a; Booth & Ainscow, 2002). In this article I examine issue of how early childhood education includes or excludes disabled children. I suggest that one of most significant barriers that disabled children and their families face in accessing early childhood education involves belief system of education. In relatively recent times early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand has determined that it has a commitment all children. This is evident in Te Whariki, which promotes inclusiveness and aspirations for all children to grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body, and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in knowledge that they make a valued contribution society (Ministry of Education, 1996b, p. 9), and in government policy, which supports all children's and their families' rights an early childhood education that is non-discriminatory and inclusive (Minister for Disability Issues, 2001; Ministry of Education, 1996a, 1998; New Zealand Government, 1993, 1998). The belief system of education, however, reinforces idea that disabled children are special; they are different, and therefore require different treatment. Special education has been part of education in New Zealand and elsewhere for a considerable period of time and has been provided either as separate treatment within mainstream education or in segregated centres and schools. It is typically accepted as a normal and appropriate approach issues of disability. I suggest belief system and language of education are barriers disabled children's inclusion in early childhood education. Constructing children as In many settings children with disabilities are typically constructed as children, having special educational and therefore in need of a education. However, literature and research on inclusive education and disability highlights that language of needs may act as a powerful barrier development of inclusion in education (Barton, 1997; Booth & Ainscow, 2002; Corbett, 1996). This is because labelling children as having needs communicates and reinforces particular beliefs about nature of disability as a function of individual impairment. What is evident is that this language maintains idea that there are kinds of student and two kinds of education, one and other typical, ordinary, not 'special' (Ballard, 1999a, p. 167). Special is a term that constructs disabled child as different, as the other, as having significantly different curriculum and teaching needs, and as belonging elsewhere (MacArthur, Dight, & Purdue, 2000; MacArthur, Purdue, & Ballard, 2003). Removing language of needs from centres is not an easy task because this vocabulary is firmly embedded in legislative and policy framework of mainstream early childhood education (Ministry of Education, 1996a, b, c, 1998, 2005; New Zealand Government, 1993, 1998). The language of needs is part of daily discourse in many early childhood settings and influences a variety of practices. Oliver (1988) states that: ... definition of educational need which still dominates today is one that sees it as an individual problem. …

(1993). Academic Engagement of Students With Learning Disabilities in Mainstream Classrooms: Challenging Conventional Wisdom. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation: Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 385-389.

The aim of this presentation is to analyse the current international policies on inclusion and to discuss the value and use of differentiated instruction as a means to the inclusion of students with special needs/ disabilities in mainstream settings. The movement to inclusion requires teachers to create inclusive learning environments, which would encourage the use of practices that would benefit all students. In this respect, differentiated instruction has rapidly evolved as a teaching approach to meet the diverse and heterogeneous needs of students with special needs/ disabilities in mainstream classrooms. Modifying and adjusting instruction to allow all students in a classroom to access the general education curriculum is at the heart of inclusive education. In this presentation, I shall discuss the development of differentiated instruction as a means to inclusion for students with special needs/ disabilities in mainstream classrooms. Information will be provided with regard to the main principles of DI as well as the basic criteria in designing individualized adaptations for these students. In addition to this, I will review the factors which influence the development of differentiated instruction based on research findings. Finally, I will argue that differentiated instruction provides a learning environment which takes into consideration the individual characteristics of students and, as such, is a useful approach for the inclusion of students with special needs/ disabilities in mainstream settings.

This study's purpose was to explore the effectiveness and feasibility of phonological awareness (PA) training with and without a beginning decoding component for kindergartners with disabilities in mainstream classrooms. Nineteen general educators, who taught at least one student with a disability, were assigned randomly within their schools to three groups: control, PA training, or PA training with beginning decoding instruction. Teachers in the two treatment groups conducted the treatments for about 20 weeks. Pre- and posttreatment data were collected on 25 children with disabilities. Statistical analyses indicated that the group of students with special needs participating in PA training with beginning decoding instruction did better than the other two groups. However, many children, including many of those in the most effective treatment, did not improve their reading skills.

One of the most controversial problems regarding educational inclusion is the inherent contradiction between high demands and special needs. Faced with this challenge, many general education teachers turn to training programmes to compensate for special education knowledge they lack and to acquire special education teaching techniques. In this study conducted in Israel, 10 teachers who recently participated in a special education training programme were interviewed. The interviews revealed their frustration, in view of the absence of any preparation that would enable teachers in mainstream classes to accommodate students with learning disabilities. Importantly, the interviewees reported that after completing their coursework in special education, they experienced a change in their attitudes as well as in their ability to effectively implement inclusion in their classrooms. These findings add to the growing body of research [(Sokal and Sharma 2014. “In-service Teachers’ Concerns, Efficacy, and Attitudes About Inclusive Teaching and its Relationship with Teacher Training.” Exceptionality Education International 23 (1): 59–71; 2017. “Do I Really Need a Course to Learn to Teach Students with Disabilities? I’ve Been Doing It for Years.” Canadian Journal of Education/Revue Ccanadienne de Ll'éducation 40 (4): 739–760; Van Mieghem, Verschueren, Petry and Struyf, 2018. “An Analysis of Research on Inclusive Education: A Systematic Search and Meta Review.” International Journal of Inclusive Education, 1–15] that emphasises the importance of training teachers in mainstream frameworks to effectively address the special needs of their students. Thus, the current study concludes that not only special-education teachers should be privy to this knowledge, as is the current practice; rather, all teacher-education programmes should incorporate courses aimed at facilitating inclusive education.

This study aimed to assess the strategies that facilitate the effective inclusion for students with disabilities in mainstream classroom settings. It employed a descriptive quantitative research methodology, utilizing a pre-designed questionnaire for data collection that was informed by an extensive investigation of relevant literature and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. This study included descriptive statistics as well as inferential methods such as t-tests and ANOVA to analyse the replies. The findings indicate that educators hold a predominantly positive view of inclusive education strategies, particularly in relation to co-teaching, differentiated instructions and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). While variations were observed based on gender, title, and region, it was evident that collaborative planning among teachers was crucial. These disclosures highlight the importance of continuous professional development, collaborative relationships, and adequate allocation of resources in promoting inclusive practices. The objective of future research should be to enhance equitable learning environments for all students by conducting in-depth investigations into the professional backgrounds and contextual factors that influence the execution of inclusive education.

ABSTRACTThe central issue of this article is the coordination between special and general education in curriculum planning for pupils with special educational needs. The focus is on individual education plans (IEPs) in special education and work plans in general education. This is also viewed in relation to how special and general education teachers cooperate on planning. The analysis is based on a qualitative interview study with special and general education teachers in four primary and lower secondary schools in two municipalities. A clear pattern is shown in the study, where curriculum planning for special and general education is not very coordinated and cooperation between special and general education teachers is often very limited. Thus, curriculum planning within special and general education appears to be more separated than coordinated. The two groups of teachers appear to adopt traditional and partly separate roles, and tend to plan individually rather than together. Responsibility for the education of pupils with special needs seems to be more divided than shared.

Background: South African schools accommodate a wide range of learners with various learning abilities in accordance with the policy of inclusion. However, little is known about how learners with learning disabilities are supported in the classrooms.Aim: The study sought to explore how learners with learning disabilities are supported in mainstream classrooms in the wake of the policy on inclusivity.Setting: This qualitative study embedded in descriptive phenomenology was carried out in eight selected mainstream primary schools in the Vaal Triangle of South Africa.Method: Data were collected through in-depth interviews with each participant and were thematically analysed using the Capability theory by Sen, 1998. The theory basically states that individuals can reach their maximum capabilities if they receive adequate support.Results: Findings revealed that learners with learning disabilities receive additional support from their teachers through one-on-one tuition, their peers, learner support educators, school based support teams and psychologists. However, two major drawbacks have emerged in the provision of additional support to learners with learning disabilities: insufficient teacher training for inclusion and a lack of commitment from parents to have their children undergo further assessments by educational psychologists.Conclusion: The study recommends that psychologists, school based support teams, parents and social workers must all be involved in the provision of support to learners with learning disabilities. The study further recommends that teachers’ training institutions must reinforce their training programmes to include strategies for teaching learners with learning disabilities in mainstream classes.Contributions: This study is important for mainstream class teachers as they can effectively strategise on supporting learners with learning disabilities in their classrooms. Strategies that can be used include supporting learners with learning disabilities with individual educational programmes, buddy systems, as well as provision of relevant teaching or learning aids. Furthermore, the study lays the foundation for further research on effective mainstream classroom teaching pedagogies.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo a análise de serviços especializados de educação especial, com ênfase na sala de recursos e na sua função na Rede Municipal de Ensino de Porto Alegre. A análise tem como base estudos desenvolvidos na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, os quais discutem a existência de um projeto político-pedagógico para a referida rede de ensino que apresenta sintonia com a perspectiva da inclusão escolar. Essa tendência, predominante ao longo dos últimos anos, tem exigido dos espaços de atendimento escolar uma intensa ressignificação, favorecendo a ampliação do espectro de alunos atendidos pelo ensino comum e redefinindo a própria ação docente. São apresentadas as mudanças introduzidas na rede de ensino em questão em termos de uma reorganização curricular que tem como eixos: a flexibilidade, a participação coletiva, o trabalho coletivo de planejamento e avaliação, a necessidade de valorização de espaços de assessoria como espaços de formação. As salas de integração e recursos, como são designadas na rede investigada, são 14 para o atendimento de alunos com necessidades educativas especiais, envolvendo 28 educadores especiais e atendendo um conjunto de aproximadamente 600 alunos. Além do atendimento direto ao aluno, discute-se a função de assessoria e responsabilidade quanto à formação dos docentes em geral atribuída aos professores dessas salas. O principal aspecto analisado nessa relação serviço/formação diz respeito à necessária compreensão de diretrizes dos serviços que estejam em sintonia com as diretrizes gerais do projeto político-pedagógico da rede, assim como o reconhecimento de que a viabilidade e o efeito dessa proposta de formação tenham como bases: a pluralidade de vivência, as articulações entre os diferentes saberes e a capacidade reflexiva que contempla a prática docente.

In this article, Dr Emad M. Alghazo and Dr Eman El. Naggar Gaad, both assistant professors at the Department of Special Education in the United Arab Emirates University, report on their research into the attitudes of mainstream teachers towards the inclusion of students with disabilities. The research took place in the Emirate of Abu‐Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and set out to explore the extent to which general education teachers there accept the inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms. The research process incorporated a questionnaire survey, analysed quantitatively, and a series of interviews with teachers to follow up on a range of issues. The analysis of the results takes account of a number of variables, including the gender of the respondents; number of years' experience as a teacher; and type of learner disability. Emad Alghazo and Eman Naggar Gaad report that there is more work to be done on the development of an ‘inclusion culture’ among teachers in the United Arab Emirates. They close their article by making a series of recommendations for future practice focusing on initial teacher education, continuing professional development and attitudinal change.

Large-scale longitudinal data on differences in pupils' cognitive and psychosocial development in various types of special and mainstream ('regular') schools are reported in this article. The study focuses on comparing the development of matched pairs of primary-aged pupils in mainstream and special education over periods of 2 and 4 years. After 2 years, pupils made more progress in mathematics in mainstream education than in schools for children with learning and behavioural difficulties [LBD] and school motivation developed more favourably in schools for pupils with mild mental retardation [MMR]. After 4 years, pupils in regular education had made more progress in academic performance than their matched pairs in special education. Development is analysed with respect to the use of internal differentiation in the classroom and special provision for pupils with LBD/MMR. The hypothesis that the degree of specialist care being offered helps these pupils could not be confirmed. In the qualitative part of the research, processes at the level of the pupil, the school and the family are studied in order to look for explanations for divergent developments in academic performance and psychosocial functioning. These processes seem to be associated with unique patterns of pupil characteristics, school characteristics and family circumstances.