Using a combined bio-ecological and capability perspective to understand inclusive education in South Africa

Abstract

Inclusive educational practices have been adopted worldwide to address inequalities endemic to education systems. In South Africa, the process toward inclusion commenced in October 1996 and was realized in 2001 with the Education White Paper 6. However, the implementation of inclusion in South Africa has been marred by challenges. These challenges have largely been examined through an ecosystemic theoretical lens offering insight into the contextual challenges facing inclusion but does not adequately explore the role that the person involved in the implementation and their specific dispositions play in the enactment of inclusion. This article argues that, to better understand the challenges individuals face with implementing inclusion, a broader lens integrating bio-ecological theory and the capability approach is needed. This integration highlights the need to look at a complexity of issues to understand what is valued, as competing values, and the choices between these will influence the implementation of inclusion.

A SWOT: Thematic Analysis of Pedagogical Practices at Inclusive School of Pakistan

“…Bronfenbrenner (1977) believed that school plays a significant role, as education roots are in schools [15]. From the point of view of the five ecological systems as well as from the point of view of a connection between psychological and educational theory and early educational curriculums and practice, the focus of the theory is on the child's development, and all that takes place within and among the five ecological systems is done to benefit the child in the classroom [18]. Another aspect is that a school endeavor, both inside and outside of the school, is a society and education is a social process.…”

Experiences of siblings to children with autism spectrum disorder

“…It is important to note that the personality characteristics of the individuals in the microsystem and mesosystem also influences proximal processes. For example, the beliefs held by peers regarding the etiology of disability, while influenced by the macrosystem, informs the interaction with the neurotypical Bio-ecological model (38).…”

“…Bronfenbrenner’s bio–ecological theory, having emerged in 2007 ( 36 ), is aimed at understanding the developmental and systemic factors affecting the development ( 37 ), through four dimensions; process, person, context, and time. As reflected in Figure 1 ( 38 ), these dimensions influence development simultaneously, with the process dimension central to the theory.…”