Abstract
M.Ed. (Educational Psychology)
In South Africa today, inclusive education, as it relates to the inclusion of a child
with a disability in a main steam classroom, is practised increasingly. Effective
inclusion requires both collaboration between and mutual support for all the role
players involved. The South African Schools Act of 1996 and the Education White
Paper 6 of 2001 recognise parents' right to choose an appropriate school for their
child in the local community. The White Paper 6 provides the framework for
developing an inclusive education and training system and recognises the
important role that parents play in developing inclusive schools and practices.
Parents can play an important part not only in the success with which their child is
included but also in the determination of the social validity of inclusive education
in the South African context. It is therefore important to consult with parents as
potential partners and to acknowledge their perceptions on inclusive education
for their children. This is necessary in order to inform the theory and
establishment of inclusive schools and to further enhance parent-school
partnerships.
Research on inclusive education in South Africa has mainly focused on the
attitudes and perceptions of teachers and relatively little research has been done
on parents' perceptions of including a child with a disability in a mainstream
school. The purpose of this research investigation i.? therefore to contribute to the
. knowledge base that could promote parent-school partnerships in an inclusive
education system.
The inquiry into the perceptions of parents of a child with a disability in a
mainstream school demanded the use of a basic interpretive qualitative study.
This approach was chosen primarily due to the fact that the study was aimed at
gaining an in-depth understanding of parents' perceptions. Eleven 'information rich
cases' were purposefully selected for focus group interviews and a semistructured
individual interview, and these formed the primary sources of data.
Secondary sources of data included participant observation and field notes as
well as the use of a document, in the form of a biographical questionnaire.