CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVEIW

2.0 INTRODUCTION

This chapter will attempt to shed light on what inclusion is, the caregivers’ knowledge on

inclusive education, are they knowledgeable, are they enrolling children with disabilities, are

they implementing the inclusive education policy at their centres and what are their

perceptions on inclusive education as Private Early Childhood Development Centres. The

chapter therefore gives a critical review of literature on the work done in the study.

2.1 THE CONCEPT INCLUSION

Inclusion is a value that is manifested in the way we plan, promote and conceptualise the

education and development of young children with special needs in programmes of the main

stream. In inclusion programs, the diverse needs of all children are accommodated to the

maximum extent possible within the general education curriculum (Tun bull, 2000). From

this contention the researcher notes that in inclusion programs, children with special needs

are included in the mainstream. Children who have needs, such as those with physical

disabilities, are included in the main stream of learning children and are all accommodated in

the lesson of the day. It has been noted by the researchers that children with special needs

also need to learn together with their counterparts.

The above definition is supported by Hallaham and Kauffman (1994) who say that inclusion

is the notion children with disabilities should be educated in their home or school and in

regular classes. Inclusive education is practised in both private and public centres in the

education system.
Private Early Childhood Development Centres are those centres which are not owned by the

government. In the private ECD centres inclusion refers to the provision of educational

services to the children with special educational needs within the regular school system.

This promotes the right of all children to feel welcome in the supportive education context.

The “Salamanca Statement (1994)” set forth the challenge to provide public and private

education to all children, regardless of their physical, intellectual, emotional, social, linguistic

or other conditions. The provision of this service was to be in ordinary private early

childhood development centres. Two sections of the statement endorsed by 300 participants,

representing 92 countries and 25 international organisations in 1994. According to Article 2,

Salamanca statement the first one is Regular schools with this inclusive orientation are

the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes creating welcoming

communities building an inclusive society and achieving educational for all.

The second section: educational policies at all levels should stipulate that pupils with

disabilities should attend together with children who have a variety of disabilities

(Article 18, Salamanca statement).

Blanco (1997) states that in other countries, the integration of pupils with special

educational needs to mainstream education, has sparked a process of educational renewal

that has greatly benefited the private centres system as a whole. In this context private

centres who practise inclusive education as the application of the new education system

have been seen to benefit children with special needs. Children with special needs learn

together with those said to be normal in the same classes. This improves relationships,

they learn to accept each other as they are, and to help each other in meeting different

needs in daily life.

2.2 INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

together in the same classes. Research shows that when a child with disabilities attends

classes alongside peers who do not have disabilities, good thing happens. The child shares

many activities with others even sports. Pupils with disabilities should share different ball

games especially if they are at the centre with their able bodied counterparts.

Inclusive Education should be viewed in terms of including traditionally excluded groups or

making the invisible visible. The most marginalised groups are after invisible in society,

children with disabilities for instance children with physical disabilities mental retardation

and HIV status. The invisible groups are excluded from access to education. Inclusive

education seeks to address the learning needs of all children, youth and adults with a specific

focus on those who are vulnerable to marginalisation and exclusion.

It was adopted at the Salamanca World Conference on special needs Education (1994) and

was restarted in Dakar (paragraph 4)

The Jonitien World Conference on Education for All (1990) set the goal of Education for All,

UNESCO along with other United Nations agencies, a number of international and national

non- governmental organisations being working towards achieving this goal adding to the

efforts made at the country level.

It is recognised that current strategies and programs have largely been insufficient or

inappropriate with regards to needs of children who are vulnerable to marginalisation and

exclusion. According to UNESCO (1999) educational opportunities that do not guarantee the

possibility to continue studies, or differentiation becoming a form of discrimination, leaving

children with various need outside the mainstream of school life and later, as adults outside

community social and cultural life in general.

their physical, intellectual, social emotional linguistic or other conditions. This should include

disabled and gifted children (the Salamenca statement and framework for Action on special

Needs Education).

Inclusive Education is an approach that looks into how to transform education system in

order to remove the barriers that prevent pupils with social needs from participating full in

education. These barriers may be linked to physical disability, mental retardation HIV status

to mention a few. In some contexts certain ethnic minorities face discrimination in the

classroom on the other hand the family’s poverty might make it difficult for a parent to afford

sending their children to schools. Inclusive Education examines how the educational

provisions can be modified or changed to make sure that the education is relevant to the local

context, that it includes and treats all pupils with respect and that it flexible so that all can

participate. It aims to enable caregivers and learners to feel comfortable with diversity and to

see it as a challenge and enrichment in range learning environment rather than a problem.

Peter (2004) says inclusive education according to this current thinking, should address the

needs of all children who carry certain disadvantages be they physical psychological or

emotional in nature. Inclusive education was viewed as primary concerned with the provision

of education to those with physical, disability, like those with blindness, the deaf and dumb as

well as those with mental retardation and HIV status.

2.3 GLOBAL INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Inclusive education practices are being endorsed internationally. The UNESCO sponsored

Education for all initiative, states that all children including those with disabilities and other

special needs with disabilities and other special needs are entitled equity of educational
opportunity. In 1994 Salamanca statement recognises a fundamental right for all children,

including children with disabilities. It calls for education systems to be inclusive and

designed to take into account the diversity of all children. It state as an underlying belief

that:

….regular schools with this inclusive orientation are the most effective means of

combating discriminating attitudes, creating welcoming communities, building an inclusive

society and achieving education for all, moreover, they provide an effective education to the

majority of children and improve the efficiency and ultimately the cost -effectiveness of

the entire education system.

A comprehensive set of commitments to inclusive education was made by governments and

international intuitions in Salamanca in 1994. Later in 2000, governments and international

institutions adopted Education for all and the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for

Universal primary education. The convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities

promotes the goal of full inclusion and guarantees the right of very child to attend the regular

school with the supports they require (CRPD).

The government of Nepal has adopted the policy of increasing the participation rate in

education of children with disabilities. This was to provide educational opportunities to

children with special needs in an integrated manner in mainstream schools and establish

separate special schools where ever necessary (ERID, 1998). The Ministry of women and

social welfare plays the greatest role in protecting the welfare of people with disabilities. It

plan policies enacts legislation and implements and coordinates programs to provide equal

opportunities for people with disabilities. It has developed land mark policies and law related

to the welfare of people with disabilities. In Nepal their first National education System Plan

was implemented in 1971 in which all educated institutions were nationalised.

children with disabilities have access to education by implementing inclusive education

programs in parts of India. The children’s club is a recreational, informal group, in which

both disabled and non- disabled children participate. The main purpose of the club is to

ensure that children with disabilities have an opportunity to participate in sports, arts

theatre, dram music and local summer camps along with other children and show their

talents.

The club also initiated a peer to peer education program. Since 2006 the clubs have been a

success. They have not only helped in providing basic education to children with disability

but also helped build their confidence and improved their social interaction they also created

an inclusive community for all.

Greece: The special education legislation clearly involves the integration of all pupils with

special education needs into mainstream schools. In Greece they have established the

Diagnostic Assessment and support Centres, the provision of individual Education Plans

(ERPs), the establishment of integration classrooms and peripatetic services are part of the

mainstream policy. According to Law 2817/2000, special education is provided from 4 to 22

years old mainly in mainstream schools. The Ministry is also aligned and collaborates with

the Greek Disability Forum and parents associations.

In the late 1990s the Zimbabwean Government adopted the policy of inclusive Education.

The Jomtirn Conference (1990) had affirmed the need to uphold the right of all people

while the Salamanca Convention (1994) ostensibly supported inclusive Education by

affirming that inclusive schools are the most potent in combating discriminatory attitude,

creating welcoming communities, building on inclusive society and achieving on

Education. In 2001 with disabilities were supposed to be included in sporting activities in

their own category whenever those without disabilities participated. Another policy directive

in the form of Director’s Circular No.2 of 2001 directed that sign language be taught in all

primary school in Zimbabwe.

Though partnership with Leonard Cheshire Zimbabwe Trust in 2010 the Ministry of

education , sports, Arts and culture launched campaign name Inclusive education for all

which was targeting 1000 children with disabilities from government schools (Samkange,

2013).the Leonard Cheshire Zimbabwe Trust also planned to staff develop teachers on

inclusive Education. According to the United Nations quoted that children with disabilities

have access to education as compared to 90% school attendance for those who are able

bodied (World Health Organisation in Antonio, 2013_). Effective caregivers should work

within communities to ensure that all children attend school. This is only possible if the

caregivers possess the skills to make the school experiences of those pupils with disabilities

work while experience. According to Jenjekwa (2011) it is therefore observable that

Zimbabwe has to death of policy provisions on inclusive Education. This research

endeavours to establish is whether or not the caregiver education curriculum for Private Early

childhood development (PECD)centres education adequately prepares student teachers for

the implementation of inclusive Education when they eventually leave college as qualified

teachers.

A caregiver is abroad term for any person who provides assistance for another person who

cannot live independently. A caregiver is someone who takes care of another person who is

either sick of disabled or a child who reach special care. Examples of caregivers are nurses.

Teachers, maids, parents or anyone who looks after someone else. Teacher is the caregivers

who is expected to provide services to children with needs with high expectancy. A caregiver
is anyone who provides help to another person in need usually the person receiving care has a

condition such as dementia. This is supported by the scholar Merriem Webster who defines

a caregiver as “a person who give help and protection to someone (such as a child an old

person, or someone who is sick): care givers should understand inclusive education as they

are the ones who should practise this.

Public caregivers are those who are open to the public. These can be giving care to adults

who need special care to children with special needs. Private caregivers are those who create

condition they are expensive and their facilities and infrastructure cannot be afforded by

many. In this research much information would be collected from caregivers in Gweru Urban

private centres. Urban private centres are seen to have more advantages as compared to rural

public centres in terms of facility and geographical location. These urban private centres

usually have good facilities and easier access to other facilities such as health. In rural remote

areas such facilities may not be easy to success.

2.4 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT CAREGIVERS: KNOWLEDGE OF

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

A knowledgeable caregiver should bear in mind that they are theorist who also support

the inclusive education for example Banks of multiculturalism who said every child must

be catered for regardless of her race, sex age gender to mention a few. All prejudice and

stereotyped in inclusive education should be reduced. When playing children should have

different kind of materials of different cultures that supports. Inclusive Education Montessori

who first studied children who were mental retardation she have children work to do in a

prepared environment. Children are not taught how to play all the furniture will be child sized

which caters for the physical, mental retardation and those with HIV status.
In an inclusive Education class the caregiver should cater for all children with educational

needs. As private caregivers children need love, care and training as well. A knowledgeable

caregiver has children at heart. Caregivers should know that formal education is an important

right of children with disabilities. Additionally, the Head Start Act and the Child Care and

Development Block Grant Act (CCDBG) also have specific provision and requirements that

supports high-quality inclusive opportunities for children with disabilities. Their enrolment

opportunities available to children with disabilities. The CCDBG Act requires states to

develop strategies for increasing the supply and quality of child care services for children

with disabilities . Caregivers should provide knowledge and competencies in inclusive

Education Responsive care-giving is important for a variety of child outcomes, including

the development of healthy brain functioning in children because the child’s developing is

greatly influenced by the quality of experiences, the ability of caregivers for children,

they should possess certain knowledge, skills and attitude abilities that promote parental

effectiveness. There is a strong consensus that caregiver child interaction is enhanced when

caregivers display qualities of sensitivity, responsiveness, reciprocity and support (shonoff,

2000).

Private centres caregivers seeks to embrace the vision of society for all, based on the United

Nations Declaration of Human Rights . It celebrates diversity through recognising potential

increasing participation overcoming and reducing barriers and removing stigmatisation and

labelling. Private caregivers in private centres should have knowledge that all children can

lean and need support. They should accepts and respects that all learners arte different, they

have different learning needs which are equal valued and an ordinary part of our human

experiences. Inclusive Education enables caregivers to meet the needs of all learners.
2.5 IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

DEVELOPMENT CENTRES

As the key figure in the successfully implementation of an inclusive education policy their

competencies in this field are of utmost importance. In Zimbabwe the campaign coordinated

by Leonard Cheshere Disability Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Trust which is government’s

implementing partner for the inclusive education programme. The Trust has catered for all

children with or without disabilities to work together. The Millennium Development Goal

(MDG) say all children should be accommodated, education is compulsory this is according

to the CRC 1989. Almost 30 model schools are implementing the inclusive education policy

in four district of Mashonaland West with support from Leonard Cheshire, this is according

to the Trust’s Mhondoro Ngezi project officer Evelyn Chomusora. Parents whose e children

are living with disabilities say they have noted positive developments in psychomotor skills

in their children due to the inclusive education programmes.

Inclusive education has been implemented successful in many countries. New Zealand is one

of the countries which supports the right of children with special needs to on inclusive

education. According to Carrol (2009), the New Zealand state that children with special

needs education have the same right to high quality education as their peers without

special needs education such countries have successfully promoted inclusive education

practices and policies that eliminate barriers and create enabling conditions for all learners

to learn. In KwaZulu Natal the implementation of inclusive education has got some

challenges. Caregivers do not show an understanding inclusive education and are uncertain

on their roles. Caregivers still need to be educated in inclusive education.

and Training (2004) Reveal that almost every school in Finland has one or more permanent

special education teacher who is able to cater for all children with disabilities. According to

Lynch and McCall (2007) say they are peripatetic teachers also known as intendant

caregivers who travel around local mainstream schools and communities to offer advice

resources and support to children with disabilities, their teachers and parents. These caregiver

educate the community on inclusive education and how it can be implemented in schools,

homes and also in the community. International inclusive education has become a prominent

item agenda and has provided a framework for recognising diversity and providing quality

education for all learners, within on inclusive education system (Department of Education,

2002). The government policy states that every education institute private or public should

practice inclusive education because every child have the right to education.

2.5 DIRECTORS AND CAREGIVERS PERCEPTIONS

Perceptions of caregivers and directors reported feelings frustrated and upset with how they

communicate with children with disabilities. Other parents think that children should be

taught in special schools and equality that they should be taught in the same classes as non-

disabled children (Slabbert, 2001). Not all agreed that mainstreaming was successful in

particular in terms of adaptations of resources. Some did highlight the challenges including

lack of resources, others highlighted the role of the parents, but none talked about additional

support in the classroom. According to Carroll (2009) the New Zealand states education

have the same right to high quality education as their peers without special education.

Other countries with inclusive education policies include Australia Department of Education

and Training (2001) reveal that almost every school in Finland has one or more

permanent special education teachers, which caters for all children’s needs. Some

caregivers and directors of private early childhood development centres are also specialist
which are trained for children with disabilities. They also said parents and community

should also give support that why they do awareness campaign to educate parents and

community who do not have knowledge on inclusive education Lynch and McCall (2007)

say they are peripatetic teachers also known as itinerant caregivers who travel around local

mainstream schools and communities to offer advice, resources and support to children with

disabilities their teachers and parents.

According to Bunch (2008) inclusive education has also been successful where all

stakeholders parents caregivers directors of private centres, people with disabilities impress

the vision and value of inclusive change on government and school directors. All learners

are accepted as true learners at their own level of ability and where there is collaboration

among all players in education caregiver’s specialist parents supporting disciplines and

children. The implementation of inclusive education in the country is seen as having

improved although lack of resources, infrastructure and either equipment used by children

with disabilities cannot be provided.