2.16.1 Definitions of inclusive education
Inclusive educations have been defined by UNESCO (2001), as humanistic restructuring that supports and welcomes diversity amongst all learners irrespective of ability or disability. It emphasised the belief that education is a straightforward human right and the foundation for a more just society. It unpacks and diminishes barriers to learning and partaking in education for all students irrespective of ability or disability. The elimination from ordinary learning will be reduced as all the needs of students will be combined. This is supposed to help in acquiring quality suitable education that will make the students with disabilities employable.
Similarly, the 2015 White Paper on disability defines inclusion as “a universal human right” that:
“Aims at embracing the diversity of all people irrespective of race, gender, disability or any other differences. It is about equal access and opportunities and eliminating discrimination and intolerance for all. It is about a sense of belonging: feeling respected, valued for who you are; feeling a level of supportive energy and commitment from others so that you can best fully participate in society with no restrictions or limitations (DSD, 2015, p. 8)”.
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The post-1994 democratic government express the issues of the same admission for all in education including the students with disabilities. The infrastructure and environment were also to be renovated and the new buildings to be made suitable and more useful for people with different disabilities (DSD, 2015). It has been hard to put this government initiative into the fruitful application. The purpose of inclusive education is to eliminate social exclusion (DSD, 2015).
2.16.2 South African context, society and legislation
This study will apply an inclusive model of education more suitable to in higher educational institutions. Disability is the national and international issue as it affects us globally. There are many people with disabilities in this country who have never been afforded education due to discrimination and stigma attached to them (Howell & agenda, 2006)).
In 1994 the first democratic government was voted in South Africa. The government then adopted the new constitution in 1996. The new constitution declared education as the right all South African citizens. The constitution is the supreme law; no legislation supersedes the constitution.
In 2001 the democratic government introduced inclusive policies to address disability. The framework for an inclusive education system is laid out in Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education: Building an Inclusive Education and Training.
The aim of the policy is to address the diverse needs of all, including special needs students, by dropping obstructions within educational institutions. Irrespective of South Africa’s’
improvement in stimulating inclusive education, access to education for students with disabilities is still challenging. There are inconsistencies between policies, the policies do not serve the purpose of eradicating and assisting students with disabilities (DSD, 2015, p. 22).
South Africa has accepted an inclusive education policy in order to address barriers to learning in the education system. However, the application of inclusive education is disadvantaged by a curriculum and syllabus that could not address an extensive range of learning needs. According to the Education White Paper 6, the needs that should be catered for are, defending the rights of all individuals and ensure that all students are treated fairly and equally; making sure that all students can contribute completely and alike in education and society, and ensuring that all students have equivalent access to a single, inclusive education system and curricula (DHET, 2013).
38 2.16.3 The model inclusive of education
The inclusive model encourages improved social initiations, relationships and networks between the disabled and the able-bodied students (Barnes, 2003). Salamanca Statement was adopted by UNESCO as a foundational policy shift promoting an inclusive approach to students with special needs education (UNESCO, 1994). The Salamanca statement maintains that regular schools with an inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes, building an inclusive society and achieving education for all” (Ainscow, 2005, p.110). I agree with the statement; in my institution, we do have physically disabled students and they are doing very well. The curriculum is adjusted for them so that they can successfully do their studies. Inclusive education delivers a real education for the majority of students and advances the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the whole education system.
The inclusion and integration of families of the students with disabilities into the community leads to increased inclusion in future environments. Thus, inclusion is a process which places stress on uncovering and minimizing obstacles to learning and increasing the contribution in the education of all students within the area of learning whatever the origin of their barriers (Lomofsky &
Lazarus, 2001). The inclusive model of education speaks to issues of disability that involve inaccessibility of physical environment and inflexible curriculum that can be used to change cultures and practices in promoting of diversity (Lomofsky & Lazarus, 2001).
In conclusion of this section, I have elected the inclusive model as it is important in ensuring the perfection of accessibility and in providing equal opportunities for all students especially those who live with disabilities. The model benefits us by understanding how inclusion and exclusion related to access and success in education. There should be no problem in access to education for students with disabilities in both higher and basic educational institutions. The students with disabilities should not be excluded from the educational system and also should not be dumped in poorly resourced special schools. The curriculum should be flexible, and proper assistive devices are provided to address their learning needs bearing in mind that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme pays for the student learning devices.
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