Abstract
M.Ed.
The research in this qualitative study focuses on the role of the educational psychologist as consultant in Inclusive Education. The rationale for the investigation is derived from the changing and expanding role of the educational psychologist. This role has been implicated by the move from excluding learners who experience barriers to learning from mainstream schools, towards a policy of Inclusive Education. Inclusive Education aims at restructuring and transforming schools and curricula, in order to promote needs-driven, holistic, effective, community-based and
quality service delivery. However, the implementation of Inclusive Education poses
complex problems to those involved. Knowledge, skills and attitudes are required in
which most teachers, parents as well as personnel at the education support services are not yet trained. This necessitates a comprehensive solution, such as collaborative
consultation. The educational psychologist thus needs to reflect on her current role, and
should change and expand her role to that of a consultant.
The report of the study commences with a theory framework in which collaborative
consultation is explicated. The nature of collaboration as a constructivist learning and
problem solving process, in whole school development for Inclusive Education, is
discussed. Thereafter collaborative consultation as an ecosystemic approach to, and
reflective practice in whole school development, is discussed and illustrated. The chapter ends by a summary of the role, knowledge, skills and attitudes of the consultant in whole school development for Inclusive Education. The theory framework is followed by a chapter on the design of the qualitative study, substantiating the choice of format and methods of data collection and analyses. A rich and tightly woven description of the chronological course of the research process is provided, when examples of raw data and data analysis from the sketches and transcriptions of the focus group and individual interviews are presented.