Dealing with difference: A scoping review of disability in education in South Africa

Abstract

Systematic Reviews of Research in Basic Education in South Africa racial inequity, limited educational access and, of course, segregation of children with disabilities. It also recognised that disability was one of many barriers to learning that required urgent attention. In order to achieve these goals, the vision of an inclusive education system was adopted -a dispensation in which all children would learn together within a seamless system of support that would address not only disability but also a range of barriers to learning arising from poverty, inequality and other social conditions (Department of Education [DoE], 2001).Regrettably however, it is no exaggeration to say that currently children and youth with disabilities face a crisis of education. In South Africa, the national prevalence rate of disability among 5-to 9-year-olds is 10.8%, while in the 10 to 14 age group it is 4.1%, and 2.6% for 15-to 19-year-olds, which comes to a total of 718 409 children of school-going age who have disabilities according to the census data (Statistics South Africa, 2014). However, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) (2016) notes that there are 117 477 learners with special needs in their programmes (Department of Basic Education, 2016), some 600 000 less than would be expected according to the census. Furthermore, even those who are in school do not experience success on par with their non-disabled peers. According to the DBE National Senior Certificate (NSC) 2018 Examination Report (Department of Basic Education, 2018), 624 733 learners wrote matric in 2018, of which 3 856 were learners with special educational needs -that is 0,6% of the total, a figure completely out of line with disability prevalence, even when one factors in that children with intellectual disability are unlikely to be following the NSC route. Given the current crisis, and the fact that in 2001, the EWP6 set a 20-year target to achieve its stipulated goals, this chapter on education of children with disabilities is timely as the 2021 deadline approaches, and the progress toward these goals can be critically assessed.At time of writing, research work in disability and education in South Africa remains severely challenged by a lack of sufficiently specific baseline data in key areas, beginning with locality and prevalence of forms of childhood disability. Further, available research data on a variety of issues regarding disability in education is patchy and incoherent, leaving both scope and need for a substantial, integrated future research agenda. While theoretical ideas from the global arena are of great use, locally specific knowledge, such as that pertaining to cultural issues in disability inclusion, issues in teacher training, or the local availability of assistive technology and accessible learning and teaching materials, is essential. Thus, part of our aim here is the identification of strategically important gaps in our understanding, to inform a research agenda with developmental relevance.

Policy and Practice on Inclusive Higher Education in the UK and Kenya: A Theoretical Framework and Recommendations

“…Both universities could benefit from the use of the UDL [24] to develop Inclusive Education opportunities, and to increase the inclusivity of education curricula and teaching and learning activities. UDL [24] is a flexible tool for addressing the learning needs of all students, including those with disability and international/refugee status, as it will enable them to express their identities as well as form new ones in alignment with the reform made to the definition of Inclusion and Inclusive Education that was suggested earlier.…”

“…Both universities could benefit from the use of the UDL [24] to develop Inclusive Education opportunities, and to increase the inclusivity of education curricula and teaching and learning activities. UDL [24] is a flexible tool for addressing the learning needs of all students, including those with disability and international/refugee status, as it will enable them to express their identities as well as form new ones in alignment with the reform made to the definition of Inclusion and Inclusive Education that was suggested earlier. It seems that Inclusion and Inclusive Education are important priorities for both universities, and this is reflected in strategic plans and policies; however, the aim of all these is to generate systemic cultural change, which is sustainable and supported by the entire community in UCL and UoN.…”

“…UDL principles should be applied when it comes to course delivery. Very little evidence regarding the application and impact of UDL is available in low-and middle-income countries [24]. Access and attendance are given more attention in low-and middle-income countries over what kind of learning occurs in the classroom, and so evaluating the quality of education in low-and middle-income nations is a daunting task [25].…”