District based support team professional preparation in supporting the implementation of inclusive education in schools : the case of Gauteng Province in South Africa

Abstract

This study explored the professional preparation of District Based Support Teams in supporting the implementation of inclusive education in a sample of schools in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. It was a qualitative study and a phenomenological design. Twenty participants who were members of a DBST from two selected districts in different regions participated in the study. In-depth individual interviews and focus group interviews were used to collect data. Interviews were recorded verbatim. Phenomenological analysis was used to analyse data, forming themes and sub-themes. Findings revealed inconsistencies around professional preparation of DBST members in supporting the implementation of inclusive education. Most participants indicated that the professional preparation they received did not adequately prepare them to support the implementation of inclusive education. These participants, however, displayed a positive attitude towards the implementation of inclusive education in schools. Some of them indicated that, instead, they felt more prepared to become subject specialists for different subjects and to be able to support learners in ordinary schools. Participants who reported that they received adequate specialised training in inclusive education and in learning support or remedial education felt that they were well prepared to support the implementation of inclusive education. They said that, as a result of the training they received, they were able to identify and use the curriculum to cater for learners coming from diverse backgrounds and bringing different learning styles. Such findings suggested that DBST members understand their role in supporting the implementation of inclusive education in schools. Furthermore, the findings revealed that DBST members use various strategies to support the implementation of inclusive education, such as cluster workshops, cluster meetings and on-site support. The findings also revealed the strategies that can enhance professional preparation of DBST members in supporting the implementation of inclusive education in schools. Based on these findings, recommendations for strategies that can be used to enhance professional preparation of DBST members and recommendations for future research are presented.

Lolucwaningo lwalubhekene namathimba ayegxile kumathimba okweseka aseziyingini aziwa ngokuthi ama-District Based Support Teams (SBSTs). Lwalubheka ukucijwa kumbe ukuqeqeshwa kwalamathimba ukuze ukusekela ukuqalwa kwemfundo eyengamelayo kumbe ebandakanya bonke abafundi ezikoleni. Lwabe lugxile ekubhekana isimo esifundazweni sase-Gauteng kwelaseNingizimu Afrika. Lolucwaningo lwalandela uhlelo lokucwaninga olwaziwa nge-qualitative study. Ulwazi lwaqoqwa ngokuthi kufakwe imibuzo ngokusangxoxo kumuntu ngamunye kanye nakubantu abayiqenjana. Abantu ababamba iqhaza kulolucwaningo kwabe kungamalunga eDBST angamashumi amabili. Lamalunga ayeqhamuka eziyingini ezimbili ezabe zikhethwe kuzingxenye ezehlukene ezabe zakhe umnyango wezemfundo esifundazweni sase-Gauteng. Izimpendulo zababebambe iqhaza zaqoqwa zabhalwa phansi zabe seziyahlaziywa ngokujulile. Ngenkathi zihlaziywa zabe sezenziwa amaqoqwana ngaphansi kwezihloko nezihlokwana. Imiphumela yocwaningo yabe isiqhamuka kuzo izihloko nezihlokwana. Eminye yemiphumela eyatholakala yakhombisa ukwehlukahlukana kwamazinga kanye nezindlela ekwabe kucijwa ngazo amalunga e-DBST ngamakhono okukwazi ukubhekana nokwesekwa kokufakelwa kwemfundo ebandakanya bonke abafundi. Iningi lababambiqhaza labika ukuthi ukucijwa kwabo akubasizanga ngokwanele ukubalungiselela ukweseka loluhlobo lwemfundo. Babika ukuthi ukunokuba kubasize, bakubona sengathi lwamane lwabanikeza uqeqesho olwalubalungiselela ukuba nobuchwepheshe ezifundweni ezithize, kanye nokwazi ukusekela abafundi ezikoleni ezejwayelekile. Enye ingxenyana yababambiqhaza ababika ukuthi babeqeqeshelwe ukweseka imfundo ebandakanya bonke abafundi kanye nokweseka ngemfundo eqondene nabafundi abanesimo esibangela izihibe ekufundeni kwabo (remedial education), yabika ukuthi ngokwabo babecijwe ngokwanele ngezikhali zokweseka ukufakwa kwemfundo ebandakanya bonke abafundi ezikoleni, kanti futhi babecijelwe ukukwazi ukwenza umehluko kwi-curriculum yokuhlinzeka abafundi abavela emikhakheni ehlukene kanye nalabo abanezindlela ezehlukile zokubamba uma befundiswa. Lemiphumela ichaza ukuthi amalunga e-DBST abe eliqonda iqhaza ekumele alibambe ekwesekeni ukufakwa kwemfundo ebandakanya bonke abafundi ezikoleni. Imiphumela yalolucwaningo iphinda iveze nokuthi amalunga e-DBST ayesebenzisa amasu ehlukahlukeni ukweseka ukufakwa kwemfundo ebandakanya bonke abafundi. Lamasu ahlanganisa ama-cluster workshop, imihlangano yama-cluster kanye nokweseka abafundi ezikhungweni zemfundo. Cishe bonke ababambiqhaza baveza ukuthi ukucijwa ababekuthola kwakungenele ukubalungiselela ukuthi bakwazi ukusekela ukufakwa kwemfundo eyongamelayo ebandakanya bonke, kodwa babonisa umqondo omuhle ekufakelweni kwemfundo ebandakanya bonke ezikoleni. Ababambiqhaza baphinda futhi baphakamisa amasu angasetshenziswa ukuthuthukisa izindlela zokuhlomisa amalunga e-DBST ngolwazi lokweseka ukufakwa kwemfundo ebandakanyayo ezikoleni. Ngenxa yemiphumela yalolucwaningo, kwabe sekwethulwa izincomo zamasu angasetshenziswa ukuthuthukisa ukucijwa kwmalunga e-DBST kanye nezincomo ezingaba wumhlahlandlela kubacwaningo bangomuso.

Dyondzo leyi yi valanga ndzulamiso wa xiphurofexinali wa ntlawa wa seketelo wa xifundzha ntsongo (DBSTs) eka ku seketela ku humelerisa dyondzo yo katsa hinkwavo eswikolweni; ku kongomisa eka Xifundzakulu xa Gauteng, Afrika-Dzonga. A yi ri dyondzo yo kongomisa eka nkoka (qualitative), yi tirhisa dizayini yo languta swilo hilaha swi humelelaka hakona (phenomenological) ku yi simeka. Ku tirhisiwile maxopaxopele yo mbulavulo kumbe burisano lowu nga katsa ;munhu hi un’weun’we na ta mitlawa yo kongoma, ku hlengeleta vuxokoxoko (data). Vatekaxiave va makumembirhi lava a va ri swirho swa ti ntlawa wo seketela (DBST) kusuka eka swifundza swimbirhi leswi hlawuriweke eka swifundzha –ntsongo timbirhi eka Xifundzakulu xa Gauteng va tekile xiave eka dyondzo leyi. Ku tirhisiwile maxopaxopelo ya ku ya hi leswi swilo swi humelerisaka xiswona ku xopaxopa vuxokoxoko lebyi nga hlengeletiwa, laha tinhlamulo ta vatekaxiave ti nga rhekodiwa ritohirito, ti vumba mikongomelo na mikongomelotsongo. Leswi swi nga kumiwa swi paluxile nkalafanano eka ndzulamiso wa xiphurofexinali wa DBST eka ku seketela ku humelerisa dyondzo yo katsa hinkwavo. Vatekaxiave vo tala va kombisile leswaku ndzulamiso wa vona wa xiphurofexinali a wu va lulamiselangi ku seketela humeleriso wa dyondzo yo katsa hinkwavo. Ematshan’weni ya swona van’wana va kombisile leswaku va lulamiseriwe ku va vativativi va tidyondzo to hambanahambana na ku kota ku seketela vadyondzi va le ka swikolo swa ntolovelo. Vatekaxiave lava nga va na ndzetelo wo hlawuleka eka dyondzo yo katsa hinkwavo, nseketelo wo dyondza kumbe dyondzo yo lulamisa (remedial) va vone onge va lulamerile swinene ku seketela ku humelerisiwa ka dyondzo yo katsa hinkwavo hikuva va kotile ku hambanisa kharikhulamu ku va yi kota ku angarhela vadyondzi vo huma eka vundzhaku byo hambana na lava va nga na switayili swo hambana swa madyondzelo, leswi nyikaka miehleketo ya leswaku swirho swa DBST swi twisisa ntirho wa swona eka ku seketela ku humelerisa dyondzo yo katsa hinkwavo eswikolweni. Dyondzo leyi yi paluxile naswona leswaku swirho swa DBST swi tirhisa maqhinga yo hambana ku seketela ku humelerisiwa ka dyondzo yo katsa hinkwavo; maqhinga lawa ya katsa miletelodyondzo ya mitlawa (clusters), tinhlengletano ta mitlawa na nseketelo wa le ndhawini (on-site). Hambileswi vunyingi bya vatekaxiave va nga paluxa leswaku malulamisiwelo ya vona ya xiphurofexinali a ya nga ringanangi ku va ya va kotisa ku seketela dyondzo yo katsa hinkwavo, va kombisile maendlelo lamanene eka ku humelerisa dyondzo yo katsa hinkwavo eswikolweni. Ku engetela kwalaho, vatekaxiave va tlhele va ringanyeta maqhinga lama nga antswisaka ndzulamiso wa xiphurofexinali wa DBST eka ku seketela ku humelerisiwa ka dyondzo yo katsa hinkwavo eswikolweni. Xo hetelela, swibumabumelo swa maqhinga lama nga tirhisiwaka ku antswisa ndzulamiso wa xiphurofexinali wa DBST na mbhumabumelo wa ndzavisiso wa nkarhi lowu taka na swona swi tlakusiwile.