Educators' perceptions of their educational responsibility towards hearing impaired children in mainstream schools
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Date
2005
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Abstract
In recent years inclusive education has risen to prominence internationally. The
issue of inclusion is essentially the relocation of learners, resources and
expertise into an equally comprehensive, regular education system. However, in
countries such as South Africa, the issue of inclusion entails extension and
development, such that the limited educational provision already available can
begin to include a wider range of leamers (Engelbrecht, Green, Naicker, &
Engelbrecht, 1999: 26; Swart, Engelbrecht, Eloff & Pettipher, 2002:175).
The discussion of inclusive education thus takes place within the rights discourse
and has as its basis South Africa's new democratic constitution (Engelbrecht,
Green, Naicker & Engelbrecht, 1999: 26). Schools are meant to be a reflection of
a democratic society in which all members are accepted and diversity is
celebrated. Educators will need to work in partnership with parents, leamers,
other educators, resource centers and community-based organizations in order
to successfully implement inclusive education (Campher, 2003:53; Corbett,
2001:118).
Hearing impaired leamers constitute an integral part of the group of leamers who
were labelled disabled and who were taught in separate, special schools. The
South African Schools Act, No. 84 of 1996 which was passed in November 1996
states that •... a public school must admit learners and serve their education
requirements without unfairly discriminating in any way" (RSA, 1996:6). This
means that mainstream public schools may be legally obliged to provide for
learners with special educational needs, and thus also hearing impaired leamers.
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The principles and values contained in the new constitution of South Africa
(1996) and in the White Paper on Education and Training (Department of
Education, 1995) acknowledge that education should be accessible and all
learners are to be given the opportunity to participate in a common education
curriculum (Mowes, 2002:47; Oswald, Ackermann & Engelbrecht, 2000:307).
Description
Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree
DOCTOR of EDUCATION
In the Department of Educational Psychology &
Special Education of the Faculty of Education at the
UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND, 2005.
Keywords
Hearing impaired children, Inclusive education