Jul 2026· International Journal of Studies in Inclusive Education· Vol 1, pp. 36· 0 citations
Abstract
The South African education system has increasingly progressed in educational access and promoting equity within historically marginalised schooling environments. Despite these reforms, managing learner discipline has become a challenge because it is an under-theorised feature of inclusive education. This study explores the experiences of ten departmental heads (DHs) in implementing inclusive disciplinary practices for learners in digitally evolving classrooms. Underpinned by the inclusive pedagogical theory and transformational leadership theory, this study utilised a qualitative approach within an interpretivist paradigm and a phenomenological design. Data were collected through open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews and analysed through thematic analysis. The findings indicate that although DHs possess robust conceptual understanding of inclusive and restorative discipline, their capacity to implement these practices is limited by systemic and contextual challenges, including entrenched teacher beliefs, resource disparities, policy-practice disjunctions, and escalating administrative demands. However, DHs are strategically positioned to reframe disciplinary measures in inclusive education through well-conceptualised professional development programmes.
South Africa’s inclusive education reforms, articulated through Education White Paper 6 and the SIAS Policy, aim to transform special schools into equitable learning environments. However, persistent gaps between policy ideals and school-level realities raise critical questions about implementation. This study explores how School Management Teams (SMTs) interpret and implement inclusive education frameworks in resource-constrained settings. A qualitative case study design within an interpretivist paradigm was adopted. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. These were conducted with SMT members, an occupational therapist, and a district official in KwaZulu-Natal. Data analysis employed a thematic approach, guided by adaptive and distributed leadership theories. The findings revealed five key themes: limited knowledge of policy mandates, entrenched systemic barriers, adaptive leadership practices, insufficient professional development, and weak accountability mechanisms. Findings highlight the disjuncture between policy rhetoric and school realities, while also demonstrating SMTs’ resilience through collaborative problem-solving, resource reallocation, and context-specific innovations. This study contributes original insights by situating policy analysis within the contours of the lived experiences of SMTs, therapists, and district officials. It underscores the urgent need for systemic investment, differentiated funding, integrated professional development, and stronger accountability structures. By bridging global discourses and local realities, the study advances a context-sensitive understanding of inclusive education leadership in South African special schools, offering actionable implications for policy-makers, district officials, and school leaders.
Qaphela Professor Dlamini, S. Cele· International Journal of Stu...· 0 citations
Although national education policies promote equity, inclusion, learner discipline, and digital integration, limited attention has been given to how teacher preparation equips Foundation Phase teachers to exercise leadership in managing learner discipline in digitally mediated and inclusive classrooms. The study explored how teacher leadership supports effective learner discipline in digital learning and inclusive education contexts by examining teachers’ preparedness and the translation of policy expectations into classroom practice. The study was grounded in an interpretivist paradigm and adopted a qualitative research approach. A multiple-case study design was employed to gain an in-depth understanding of teachers' lived experiences across different school contexts. Six Foundation Phase teachers from three primary schools were purposively selected as participants. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, which enabled participants to share their views on their preparedness, experiences, and challenges in managing learner discipline in digital and inclusive learning environments. The data were analysed thematically to identify recurring patterns, meanings, and themes in the participants’ responses. The study was informed by transformative leadership theory and inclusive education frameworks, foregrounding principles of equity, social justice, learner diversity, and responsiveness in technology-enhanced learning contexts. The preliminary findings reveal that while teachers recognise the importance of positive learner discipline in online, blended, and technology-supported classrooms, many feel underprepared to assume leadership roles in digital classroom management. The main challenges include limited formal training in digital discipline strategies, inadequate professional development opportunities, insufficient school-based digital conduct policies, and a lack of clear institutional guidance for managing learner behaviour in inclusive digital environments. The findings further suggest that teacher leadership in digital discipline is weakened when teachers are expected to implement policy without adequate preparation, resources, and professional support. The study concludes that strengthening teacher leadership for effective learner discipline in digital and inclusive classrooms requires deliberate investment in both pre-service and in-service teacher education. It recommends integrating digital discipline competencies, inclusive pedagogical strategies, digital citizenship, and early years leadership development into teacher education programmes. The study also highlights the need for professional learning communities, clear school-based digital discipline policies, and targeted capacity-building initiatives. Closing the gap between policy and classroom practice can enhance teachers’ leadership capacity, promote equitable learner participation, and improve learning outcomes in digitally evolving inclusive educational contexts.
S. Mulovhedzi· International Journal of Stu...· 0 citations
Despite Ghana’s commitment to inclusive education through national educational reforms and international frameworks such as sustainable Development Goal 4, the implementation of inclusive practices in geography classrooms remains inconsistent. Since geography fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills, this study examines the readiness of geography teachers in Ghanaian Senior High Schools to implement inclusive classroom practices. Guided by the social model of disability and underpinned by a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, the study examined the challenges Senior High School teachers face in conducting inclusive classroom practices and the possible ways to promote inclusive geography classroom practices in four SHS in the South Dayi District. The sample size for the study was 18 participants which comprised 8 geography teachers, 4 headteachers, 3 assistant headteachers and 3 guidance and counselling coordinators. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and participants observation. The analysis was done thematically using Colaizzi’s phenomenological framework. The major findings include inadequate professional training, limited instructional resources, lack of assistive technologies, overcrowded classrooms, rigid examination-oriented curricula, and inadequate technology integration which hinders effective inclusive geography education. The study further identified continuous professional development, differentiated instruction, collaborative learning, curriculum reform, and improved access to instructional resources as key strategies for promoting inclusive classroom practices. The study concludes that strengthening teacher preparation and institutional support systems is essential for achieving equitable and quality geography education in Ghanaian Senior High Schools. The study recommends the development of targeted educational policy such as provision of adequate TLRs and assistive technologies, curriculum development, and continuous professional development opportunities.
G. Y. Kafu, Frank J Glago· Journal of Educational Revie...· 0 citations
Inclusive education has become a central policy orientation in contemporary school systems. Yet pre-service teachers often encounter inclusive classrooms as complex pedagogical environments in which no standardised response is sufficient. While extensive research has examined teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education and the pedagogical strategies that support inclusive practices, less is known about how pre-service teachers interpret situated professional dilemmas and how these experiences contribute to their professional judgement, wellbeing, and emerging agency. This article addresses this issue by examining reflective narratives produced in initial teacher education. This qualitative study analyses 107 reflective narratives produced by pre-service teachers enrolled in a French master's programme for initial teacher education. The narratives were written as part of a module devoted to inclusive education and the accessibility of learning, and focused on professional situations encountered or observed during placements in primary and secondary classrooms. The data were examined through reflexive thematic analysis, combining an inductive approach with a theoretically informed reading centred on inclusive classrooms, professional dilemmas, emotional work, teacher wellbeing, and professional agency. Four interconnected themes were identified: encountering classroom heterogeneity; navigating pedagogical and ethical dilemmas; engaging in emotional work and constructing fragile forms of teacher wellbeing; and developing professional agency in
no-size-fits-all
pedagogical environments. The findings show that pre-service teachers progressively move beyond the identification of pupils’ educational needs towards an analysis of the situated conditions that make learning activities more or less accessible. The narratives also reveal recurrent dilemmas involving individual adaptation, collective progression, support, autonomy, assessment, participation, and the risk of stigmatisation. The study argues that inclusive classrooms can become formative professional spaces when such dilemmas are analysed within structured reflective settings. Preparing teachers for inclusive classrooms therefore requires more than transmitting knowledge about educational needs or pedagogical adjustments; it also requires supporting their capacity to interpret situated complexity, work through emotional and ethical tensions, mobilise collective resources, and construct sustainable forms of professional agency.
Magdalena Kohout‐Diaz· Frontiers in Education· 0 citations
The pursuit of equity and social justice in higher education demands pedagogical approaches that transcend Western-centric traditions and legitimise diverse cultural epistemologies. This study examines Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) specifically in the Indonesian EFL context and intends to examine CRT as a pedagogical strategy and a way to problematise epistemological assumptions. Guided by the PRISMA 2020 framework and analysed through Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) combined with document analysis), this research critically examines 22 documents. The findings indicate that, although CRT is recognised in national initiatives such as the Emancipated Curriculum and Emancipated Learning, its practical implementation remains uneven and largely superficial. At the classroom level, educators attempt to integrate indigenous knowledge, cultural identities, and local wisdom into English language teaching; however, these efforts are constrained by rigid, exam-driven curricula, limited professional support, and the pervasive influence of global English standards. The tension between internationalisation and localisation illustrates both the challenges and opportunities for CRT in reshaping Indonesian EFL education. Theoretically, CRT is positioned as a decolonial stance that resists epistemic hegemony while advancing epistemic justice by legitimising the ecology of knowledge. Practically, the study emphasises the urgency of aligning policies with CRT principles, expanding teacher training, and developing culturally sustaining instructional resources. By situating CRT at the nexus of social justice, decolonization, and global competence, this study contributes to global debates on inclusive and transformative education, highlighting its significance for the Global South and beyond.
It is argued that relational pedagogy intentionally cultivates caring teacher-student relationships, thus fostering positive student discipline in digitally mediated inclusive educational environments, and must be reimagined not as a matter of control but as one that emerges from relational trust and belonging.
K. Mbatha· International Journal of Stu...· 0 citations
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