3.2. RESEARCH DESIGN
3.2.2. The process of research design
Permission for this research to take place in selected affluent schools in the Greater Durban area was sought from the KwaZulu-Natal Education Department. This permission was granted on 2 February 2012 (Appendix A). The principals of each of the schools were then approached individually for permission to conduct research within their schools. The principals of the participating schools granted this permission electronically.
Further to this, ethical clearance to conduct this research was given by the University of KwaZulu- Natal on 20 April 2012 after all due processes were followed (Appendix B).
In addition to this, each one of the teachers interviewed signed a letter of consent stating that any information provided during the interview process may be used for the purposes of this research, on condition that their personal anonymity as well as that of their school is maintained. A copy of this letter of consent is in Appendix C.
3.2.2.2. Sampling
In the initial stages, stratified random sampling was employed at each of the schools in order to derive a generalised view of the state of inclusive education implementation in that particular school
as well as to extrapolate a global view of what in-service training the teachers had been exposed to prior to this study. Stratified random sampling is described by Wellington (2004: p.60) as being a
“random selection within groups of a population”.
The subsequent interview stage of the research was done on a non-probability sampling basis. In each school contact was made with the person in control of co-ordinating all affairs relating specifically to learners with learning disabilities. In the absence of such a person, the person in charge of academics was interviewed. This method of sampling was used for the questionnaire as a means of increasing the likelihood of a higher response rate. However, by using a stratified random sample in conjunction with this, it is possible to offer a basic generalisation into the state of in- service training in affluent schools in the greater Durban area (Wellington, 2004: p.58-63; McMillan
& Schumacher, 2006: p. 122-123; Walliman, 2011: p.185-189).
3.2.2.3. Research field
Six secondary schools in the greater Durban area were selected for this study. All the schools selected are considered affluent schools as a result of their high annual school fees; all of these schools are either former Model-C schools or private schools. It was originally intended that the research field would consist of 3 private schools and 3 former Model-C schools; however, this was not possible on account of a lack of interest from the majority of the former Model-C schools approached. In one response it was noted that the school had already been extensively involved in education research and there was reluctance from the teaching staff to become further involved in this area. Other schools felt that their teaching staff was already under pressure with administrative tasks, and that participating in such research would further over-burden the teachers in those schools. It was explained to all schools that the questionnaire would take each teacher approximately 10 minutes to fill in, and a copy of the questionnaire was given to each of the principals when seeking permission to conduct research. All but one of the private schools approached were happy to assist with the research, and many commented on the value that they saw in research such as this. As a result of this, the research field consists of 4 private schools and 2 former Model-C schools.
Similarly, it was originally proposed that 2 co-educational schools would be researched as well as 2 schools catering only for boys and 2 schools catering only for girls. Interestingly, there was resistance from both private and former Model-C schools catering for all girls to become involved in this research. A member of staff from one the schools commented that this would be the case as they do
not practise inclusive education in their school. As a result of this, only one all-girls school participated in this research. Conversely, there was greater enthusiasm to become involved from the co-educational schools, which resulted in 3 co-educational schools being used for the purposes of research in this study. Of the co-educational schools approached, only one school was hesitant to become involved due to the amount of research their staff had already been involved with. Finally, there was generally a positive approach to participate in this research from all of the schools catering for all boys. All of the boys’ schools approached submitted questionnaires, although one school submitted the questionnaires too late for them to be included in this study, despite the deadlines given.
In cases where the schools catered for grades other than Grades 8 to 12, they were asked to consider only data relating to the high school students. The questionnaire was distributed only to those teachers teaching within the high school.
Information pertaining to each of the schools included in the sample group is included below:
School CG
School CG is a co-educational, state-run high school catering for approximately 1000 students and is situated in an upper-income area in the greater Durban area. School CG has a 52-year history and is a former Model-C school. The maximum school fees in 2012 were R 25 575 per annum. The students are taught by 63 teachers, some of whom are state employees with the remainder being employed by the school governing body. The average class size at School CG consists of 28 students and one teacher. At the end of Grade 12, all students write the National Senior Certificate examinations. The data collected from School CG is attached as Appendix F.
School CP
School CP is a private, co-educational institution catering for 1180 learners from Grade R to Grade 12. There are a total of 41 teachers catering specifically for the high school students. In 2012, School CP celebrated its 50th year anniversary. The maximum school fees at School CP in 2012 were R 59 800 per annum. School CP has a reputation as being an open-minded institution that is committed to innovation. As a result of this, they attract large numbers of students with various barriers to learning. A dedicated centre for the support of these learners is in the process of being developed. This school is a member of ISASA and Grade 12s write the IEB matriculation examinations. The data collected from School CP is attached as Appendix G.
School BP
School BP is private, ISASA member school catering only for boys. This particular school caters for approximately 605 learners from Grades 8 to 12 and has a teaching staff complement of 53, the class sizes are a maximum of 25 learners per class. Over its ninety-one year history it has developed a reputation for being one of the most ‘elite’ schools in KwaZulu-Natal, and an academic history with learners frequently being placed in the top categories of national olympiads and the IEB Senior Certificate examinations. They also boast that they are a school that practices inclusive education.
The data collected from School BP is attached as Appendix H. The maximum annual school fee for 2012 was R 99 300.
School CI
School CI is a private, co-educational institution that caters for approximately 910 students from Grade R to Grade 12. There are 24 teachers dedicated to the high school, and class sizes are between 22 and 25 learners. The school has an 83-year history, yet only became a member of ISASA in 2012. The maximum school fees are R 56 300 per annum. Grade 12 learners have the choice of writing the IEB Senior Certificate examinations or the National Senior Certificate examinations set by the National Education Department. The data collected from School CI is attached as Appendix I.
School GP
School GP is a private school catering only for girls. Over its 106 year history it has developed a reputation for being one of the top all-girls schools in KwaZulu-Natal, with high academic standards.
Approximately 1002 girls are catered for between Grade R and Grade 12. There are 59 teachers dedicated to education in the high school grades. The maximum school fees for 2012 were R 61 440 per annum. The data collected from School GP is attached as Appendix J.
School BG
School BG is the largest, government school to participate in this study. School BG caters for 1350 learners from Grades 8 to 12. The teacher to learner ratio of 30:1 is achieved through the employment of 50 teachers, some of whom are paid by the KwaZulu-Natal Education Department with the remainder being employed directly by the school governing body. The annual school fees for 2012 were approximately R 30 000. School BG is located in an affluent area and over the course of its 57 year history has developed a reputation for being one of the top schools in South Africa, with its Grade 12 learners regularly being placed in the top 50 students in the country. The data collected from School BG is attached as Appendix K.
3.2.2.4. Participants
Each of the participating schools was asked to distribute the questionnaires to their entire teaching staff. The first 10 completed questionnaires were used for the purposes of this study.
The person in charge of learners with learning disabilities, or in the absence of such a position, the head of academics at each of the schools was then interviewed. It was originally intended that 2 teachers from the general teaching body would be interviewed; however, it was quickly noted in the majority of the questionnaires that there was a wide variety of scatter regarding the state of inclusive education within each school. I felt that selecting 2 teachers at random would not give me an accurate idea as to the state of inclusive education and the treatment of learners with learning disabilities at each school. Instead, the decision was taken to interview a person at a management level who would presumably have a greater insight into the workings of inclusive education at their school.
3.2.2.5. Ethical considerations
Every effort has been made in this study to ensure the anonymity of the participants. At no stage are the participants or the schools that they represent able to be identified. Each of the schools was given a double layered code based on whether it is a co-educational institution (C), or catering for boys only (B) or all girls (G) state funded school (G) or a private school (P/I) as well as whether it is a state funded school (G) or a private school (P/I). The participants were then randomly assigned a number that is attached to the code of their school. At no stage during the questionnaire process were the participants asked to identify themselves.
Each participant has been reassured of his anonymity, both verbally as well as in the granting of permission through signing the letter of consent (Appendix C). All data collected which could possibly identify the participants or their schools will be stored in a safe location for a period of 5 years, after which time it will be completely destroyed. This is applicable to both electronic data and data collected in the hard copy form.
3.2.2.6. Reliability and validity
In this study, the data collected will be validated through the use of ‘triangulation’, specifically data triangulation by making specific use of ‘person triangulation’. Triangulation is described by Cohen and Manion (1994, cited in Wellington, 2004: p.24) as “the use of two or more methods of data collection in the study of some aspect of human behaviour”. ‘Person triangulation’ is employed as
research is analysed at a collective level through the use of a questionnaire as well as at an individual level in the semi-structured interviews (Wellington, 2004: p. 23 – 25; McMillan & Schumacher, 2006:
p. 374).
Reliability entails the ability of a researcher to replicate the constraints of this particular study and achieve a similar, of not identical outcome. However, as this is an ethnographic study embedded in the interpretivist paradigm, the possibility of this study being replicated and receiving the same result is unlikely. As with all interpretivist studies, there is a margin of subjectivity from the researcher and an understanding that when one is researching matters pertaining to responses from individuals, that replicating such a study would produce exactly the same results (Wellington, 2004:
p. 31-32; McMillan & Schumacher, 2006: p. 183-185).