Inclusion through different eyes

159 Pages·2015·1.87 MB·English

by  Armstrong, Hayley Marie

Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for
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Inclusion Through Different Eyes

Inclusion Through Different Eyes

A thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree
Master
of
Educational Psychology

at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Hayley Marie Armstrong

2014
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Inclusion Through Different Eyes
ABSTRACT
This is a single site qualitative case study to investigate how inclusion is
understood, and put into practice in one classroom within a school that has inclusive
values. The focus classroom, Room 2, is a new-entrant/year one classroom. The
participants included the principal, the class teacher, the teacher aide, the ORS
funded teacher, a child with high needs on the ORS scheme and her mother and four
peers from the class (ORS refers to the Ministry of Education’s “Ongoing
Resourcing Scheme” for students with ‘High and Very High Needs”). The study was
guided by the following research questions:
1. How is inclusion understood by the various participants?
2. What are the values and practices in the classroom and the wider
school that are associated with inclusion?
3. How do children experience a classroom that focuses on being part of
an inclusive school community?
Social constructionism was used as the theoretical framework to explore the
participants’ understandings and experiences. Data were gathered through
observations, semi-structured interviews, and archival data. The emerging themes
were identified and linked back to the research questions.
The findings show inclusion was understood to be welcoming and teaching
all children, not just those with disabilities, reflecting the diversity with the wider
community. The values and practices associated with inclusion included building a
sense of community, clear values, caring relationships between children, staff and
families and good collaborative practices. The children experienced the classroom as
a safe positive place, where they helped each other and enjoyed learning. There were
also some tensions between the values and practice identified that may inadvertently
contribute to students with disabilities being perceived as different.
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Inclusion Through Different Eyes
I would like to acknowledge the school and the participants for their generous and
valuable contributions to this research. It was a pleasure to spend time in Room 2
and I felt the welcoming nature of the school and class in person. I also wish to
thank my thesis supervisors, Jude MacArthur, and Wendy Holley-Boen for the
guidance, support and positivity throughout this research. Finally, a thank you to
my family and friends who have been supportive throughout this study.

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Inclusion Through Different Eyes
CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................... i
CONTENTS .................................................................................................... iii
List of Figures ................................................................................................ vii
CHAPTER ONE .............................................................................................. 1
Background and Justification for the Study ..................................................... 1
My Background and How I am Positioned in this Study ................................. 2
The Organisation of this Thesis ....................................................................... 3
CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................. 5
Literature Review ............................................................................................. 5
What is Inclusion? ............................................................................................ 5
Exclusion and exclusive attitudes and practices. ..................................... 6
Developing inclusion ............................................................................... 8
Achievement (social, developmental and academic) ............................. 10
Theoretical Discourses ................................................................................... 12
Medical model discourse ....................................................................... 12
Charity discourse .................................................................................... 13
Social/human rights model ..................................................................... 13
Inclusive Education in Aotearoa/New Zealand.............................................. 14
Education Act 1989 ................................................................................ 16
SE2000 ................................................................................................... 16
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Inclusion Through Different Eyes
The NZ Disability Strategy .................................................................... 17
Review of special education .................................................................. 18
Success for All ....................................................................................... 19
Ongoing Resourcing Scheme ................................................................. 19
Leadership .............................................................................................. 20
Pedagogy ................................................................................................ 22
Teacher education and professional development ................................. 26
Teacher aide education and professional development .......................... 27
Social Constructionism as a Theoretical Framework..................................... 27
The Present Study .......................................................................................... 30
Research questions ................................................................................. 30
CHAPTER THREE ........................................................................................ 31
Methodology .................................................................................................. 31
Qualitative Research Paradigm ...................................................................... 31
Case Study Methodology ............................................................................... 32
Ethics .............................................................................................................. 33
Procedures ...................................................................................................... 34
Steps for recruiting participants and consent ......................................... 34
Research setting and participants ........................................................... 36
Data Collection Methods................................................................................ 37
Observations ........................................................................................... 38
Documentation and physical artefacts ................................................... 39
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Inclusion Through Different Eyes
Interviews ............................................................................................... 39
Data Analysis ................................................................................................. 41
CHAPTER FOUR .......................................................................................... 43
Results ............................................................................................................ 43
The Context .................................................................................................... 43
Special education policy ........................................................................ 44
Values ..................................................................................................... 45
School management ............................................................................... 47
How is Inclusion Understood? ....................................................................... 48
Principal ................................................................................................. 48
Teacher/teacher aide/ongoing resourcing scheme funded teacher ......... 51
Mandy’s mother ..................................................................................... 53
Values and Practices in the Classroom and the Wider School Associated with
Inclusion .................................................................................................... 54
Values ..................................................................................................... 54
Approaches to teaching practice ............................................................ 55
How Children Experience the Classroom ...................................................... 73
CHAPTER FIVE ............................................................................................ 76
Discussion ...................................................................................................... 76
Understanding Inclusion ................................................................................ 77
Values and Practices in the Classroom and the Wider School Associated with
Inclusion .................................................................................................... 79
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Inclusion Through Different Eyes
Inclusive values and values in practice .................................................. 79
Inclusive practices in the classroom and school .................................... 81
How Children Experience a Classroom that Focuses on Being Part of an
Inclusive School Community ............................................................................. 84
Tensions between inclusive values and practice .................................... 85
Summary ........................................................................................................ 92
CHAPTER SIX .............................................................................................. 93
Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 93
Contribution of this Study .............................................................................. 93
Where to from here?....................................................................................... 95
Further Research ............................................................................................ 97
Limitations ..................................................................................................... 97
Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 98
References .................................................................................................... 101
Appendices ................................................................................................... 111
Appendix A: Letter to the School Board of Trustees ................................... 111
Appendix B: Information Sheets and Consent Forms ................................. 114
Appendix C: Letter to Class ......................................................................... 139
Appendix D: Interview Schedules ............................................................... 140
Appendix E: Transcript Release Authority .................................................. 150

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Inclusion Through Different Eyes
List of Tables
Table 1: Research participants and data collection methods……………….………37
Table 2: Reading Tumble example……………………..……………………………58
Table 3: Mandy’s timetable…………………...…………………………………….60

List of Figures
Figure 1: St Gabrielle’s charter overview………………..…………………………46

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Inclusion Through Different Eyes
CHAPTER ONE
The aim of this thesis is to investigate how inclusion is understood, and put into
practice in one classroom within a school that has inclusive values. It focuses on a
student with a disability (and considered to have high needs under the Ministry of
Education’s Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Scheme (ORRS)), the class teacher,
teacher aide, the child’s mother, class peers and the school principal to understand
inclusion as it is experienced by the various participants, and as it is played out in the
school’s policy documents, and daily practices.
Background and Justification for the Study
Inclusive education has become a dominant issue in almost every country, with
education for diverse learners moving from segregation towards inclusion (Mitchell,
2010). The New Zealand Government’s Success for All policy states all schools should
be inclusive by 2014. All students should be able to attend their local schools and be
welcomed into a positive, inclusive environment (Ministry of Education, 2011). This
focus is admirable, although it can be argued that the policy as yet does not necessarily
reflect what is happening in New Zealand schools and classrooms. Recent reports
from the Education Review Office and the Human Rights Commissioner indicate a
number of schools remain unprepared or reluctant to include children with high needs
(Education Review Office, 2010, 2013; Human Rights Commission, 2010).
Government policies promoting inclusive education may not be enough; as Annan and
Mentis (2013) argue, the beliefs and values educators hold may be more relevant than
laws and policies regarding education.
Lewis and Porter (2007) note all stakeholders should have their views
represented to enable a situation to be more fully understood. There has traditionally
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