Abstract
M.Ed.
Educationalists the world over have recognized the need for different levels of school in and support to meet the educational needs of learners. In some countries, like the United Kingdom and Australia, these types of educational services are specified by legislation (Porter, 2002, p.3). The rationale behind this is that society has a responsibility to provide all learners with an education that meets their unique learning needs (ibid., 2002, p,3). South Africa is no different, with national and departmental policies providing guidelines for the provision of specialized education and the placement of learners within such contexts. While much research has been conducted in the field of transitions from school to the workplace and from special needs education to mainstream environments, little is known about the experiences of learners undergoing the transition from mainstream education to more specialized environments. The researcher became interested in understanding this experience of learning and chose to consider the case study of 1Mike Munch, a primary school learner, who underwent the transition from a mainstream school environment to a school environment for learners with special educational needs. In order to understand Mike‟s experiences during the transition, data was collected using individual and focus group interviews, a sandtray session with the learner and projective techniques. This data was coded and analysed using content analysis and presented against a backdrop of literature, including the policy and development of inclusive education in South Africa, whole school development, systems theory and an ecosystemic perspective, as well as developmental theories of childhood and transition theory.
The researcher found that Mike Munch had become more independent and motivated, gained confidence and felt more accepted in the new environment, which was more structured than the previous one. He also benefited from more intensive support and while he had to adjust to different expectations and changes he became more motivated in his learning. From these findings the researcher developed guidelines for schools to support learners
1 Pseudonym used to protect the identity of the participant
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undergoing the transition from a mainstream school environment to a school for learners with special educational needs. These included involving parents in the process, facilitating small social skills groups for learners, maintaining regular communication between team members and the home environment, positively reinforcing learners, progressing at the learner‟s pace, tailoring tasks to learner abilities, allowing learners‟ special responsibilities in the classroom, using cooperative learning strategies to increase socialization, establishing a sense of community in the classroom and providing a structured environment for learning.