Disability and Inclusivity: The impact of Inclusive Education on the academic learning and
achievement of children with disabilities.
Stanley Makuvaza- Educational Psychologist- Mashonaland East Province
Abstract
The study investigated the impact of inclusive Education on the academic learning and
achievements of children with disabilities. The study was carried out in Mashonaland East
Province. The participants were selected by means of purposive or convenience sampling. All
participants to the study are being involved in the provision of special education in Mashonaland
East Province. The study found out that the level of knowledge acquisition of a child with
disabilities is very high when the child with disabilities is learning in an inclusive environment.
There is heightened achievement if the child is engaged in extra time lessons which include
review, practice and clarity. The degree of comprehension of concepts of children with disabilities
remarkably improves when they are placed in an inclusive environment. An inclusive
environment entails all the resources which are needed for the education of children with
disabilities. Children with disabilities do well in Mathematics, English language and Content
subjects when they are in an inclusive set up. An inclusive set up encourages children with
disabilities interact with non-disabled. The non-disabled work as the role models for the disabled
children.
Introduction
Inclusive education has grown from the belief that education is a basic human right and it
provides the foundation for a more just society (Lipsky, 2007; Sailor, 2003). All learners have a
right to education regardless of their individual characteristics and difficulties. There is a cloud of
misconception around the term ‘inclusive education’. Inclusive education differs from previously
held notion of integration and mainstreaming which tended to be concerned principally with
disability and special needs (Jorgensen, 2001, Schuh & Nishet, 2005).
Simply, integration may be understood as a situation where a child with disabilities is integrated
into the classroom such that they work with the same content and materials, though not expected
to learn at the same level of skills (Dixon, 2005). A composite class provides with the best
example of what integration is. In a composite class one can teach children from different grades
in the same classroom but it does not necessarily mean that the teacher will give them the same
stuff. Much of the teaching plans are individualized.
On the other hand, a child is included in the regular classroom but might be working on a
different curriculum for some of the time (Clark, 1995; John, 2001). A good example is a class
which is made up of children with visual and hearing disabilities and those without. Surely, those
with visual and hearing impairments will have to work on the Braille and sign language areas
respectively something that is a deviation from the main curriculum. Lastly, Mainstream is the
practice of educating students with special needs in regular classes during specific time periods
based on their skills (Rodgers, 1993). On the same note ‘Inclusive education’ in the Zimbabwean
context involves the identification and minimization of barriers to students’ participation in
traditional settings (i.e. schools, homes ,communities and work places) and maximization of
resources to support leaning and participation( Chimedza & Peters ,1999;Mpofu,2004)
This study focuses on the extent to which inclusive education is impacting on the academic
learning and achievements of children with disabilities, benefits children with disabilities are
realizing from inclusive education and the challenges and obstacle
Towards understanding of Inclusive Education
Inclusive education is a philosophy that seeks to extend the scope of ordinary schools so that
they can include a greater diversity of children, (Clark, 1995).The main thrust is to make
ordinary schools accommodate all children regardless of their weakness or strengths. In the same
vein, Uditsky (1993) contends that inclusive education is a set of principles which ensures that
the student with a disability is viewed as a valued and needed member of the community in every
respect. In a nutshell inclusive education is a learning environment that promotes the full,
personal, academic and professional development of all learners irrespective of race, class,
gender, disability, religion, culture, sexual preference, learning styles and language (NCSNT/
NESS 1998). Accepting and respecting that all learners are different in some way and have
different learning needs which are equally valued and an ordinary part of our human experience
(The Education White Paper, South Africa, 2001, p.6).
Inclusion and inclusive education
These two terms mean exactly the same thing. There is slight difference in their full meaning.
The following two try to elaborate the full meanings of these two terms.
Inclusion
The principle of inclusion emphasizes the active participation of every child within the natural
environment of their community (Frankel, 2004).The idea behind the afore assertion is that
children must attend schools in their neighborhood as opposed to the traditional idea of
institutionalization. It reflects and values the diversity of each child, acknowledging that he or
she is a contributor to the society (Crippen, 2005). The United Nations Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities acknowledges that all children with special needs have equal human
rights and freedom as any other child (United Nations, 2006). Children with disabilities were
suffering from segregation at the hands of those without. On the same note, the United Nations
on the Rights of the Child, declares that all children with or without special needs have
fundamental rights to experience full involvement within society (Frankel, 2004). The
Salamanca Statement reaffirms the pledge “Education for All”, acknowledging the rights of
children, youth, and adults with special needs to obtain an education within any regular
education (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO,
1984).Inclusion is the practice of establishing heterogeneous classrooms where every child
strives to accomplish individual goals. These conventions tried to create an enabling
environment for children with disability. This statement also asserts that regular classrooms
should accommodate and meet the needs of all children as a means of reducing prejudiced
attitudes, and to promote a more accepting society (UNESCO, 1994).Together, these documents
confirm the essential requirement for each society to maintain an inclusive education.
Inclusive education
Inclusive Education is a practice which ensures that every child rises to or her fullest potential
while validating their uniqueness (Rallis & Anderson, 1994). Inclusive education is a system
which supports and accommodates the diverse needs and abilities of all students in a typical
education setting (Bergsma, 2000; Crippen, 2005; Eleweke & Rhoda, 2002; Skrtic & Sailor,
1996). Therefore, children with special needs should freely attend neighborhood schools, learn
collectively among their peers without special needs, and fully participate in meaningful, social
and academic activities as members of the class (Lipsky & Garner, 1996; Oremland, Flynn&
Kleft, 2002; Skrtic & Sailor 1996).
This often requires modifying the curricula and/ or the
environment in order to ensure the success and attainability of these goals (Lipsky & Garner,
1996; Oremland, 2002).In inclusive education, there must be educational reform and
restructuring of the school system (Bergsna, 2000). This will provide a learning environment
which is committed to teaching and accommodating for diverse needs among children (Eleweke
& Rhodda, 2002). Inclusive education focuses on changing the system to suit the children.
Benefits of inclusive education
The idea about inclusive education started during the early 1800s. The coming years saw a
number of researches being conducted on inclusive education. Inclusive education has proven a
workable approach especially in solving problems that affect learners with disabilities.
Academic benefits
There is a strong research base to support the education of children with disabilities alongside their
non-disabled peers. Although separate classes with lower students to teacher’s ratios, controlled
environments and specifically trained staff would seem to offer benefit to a child with disability,
research fails to demonstrate the effectiveness of such programs (Lipsky, 1997, Sailor, 2003). In such a
setup, learners are exposed to a number of challenges during their learning. When children with
learning disabilities are secluded in a resource unit they face a lot of challenges in the form of labeling
and negative attitudes towards themselves. People imagine the view of themselves through the eyes of
others in their social cycles and form judgments of themselves basing on these imaginary observations
(Cooley, 1999). In other instances these children view themselves negatively especially when they
(learners) are housed in a resource unit. Perceived self-efficacy is defined as people’s beliefs about their
capabilities to produce designated levels of performance that exercise influence over events that affect
their lives (Bandura, 1994). When they are learning together with children without disabilities such
imaginations diminish.
Social benefits
There is mounting evidence from the earlier researches that other than a smaller class size, there is little
that is special about the special education system and that the negative effects of separating children
with disabilities from their colleagues in the mainstream class far outweigh any benefit to smaller
classes (Audette & Algozzine, 1997, Lipsky, 1997). Children with disabilities expand their social
networks since an inclusive set up increase their interaction with their non-disabled counterparts.
Students without disabilities can serve as positive and behaviour role models and offer acceptance,
tolerance, patience and friendship. . Children with special needs are exposed to a number of learning
source when they are in a non-inclusive setting.
Academic achievements in mathematics
In May 2000, the Indian Inclusion Study concluded that students without disabilities who were
educated in inclusive settings made significantly greater progress in Mathematics than their peers.
Research by Hollywood, (1995) found inclusion was not detrimental to students without disabilities.
The types of instructional strategies found in inclusive classrooms, including peer
tutoring, co-
operative learning groups and differentiated instruction have been shown to be beneficial to all learners
.Slavin, Madden and Leary (1984) found that mathematics scores for students with and without
disabilities increased by nearly half a grade level as a result of working in co-operative learning groups.
An inclusive set up promotes the cross pollination of ideas.
Research design
The Researcher is going to use a Phenomenological Design. Creswell (1998) defines the
‘phenomenological design’ as a design that describes the meaning of the lived experience for
several individuals about a concept or phenomenon
Sampling criteria
The participants were selected by means of purposive or convenience sampling. This is a nonprobability sampling method. The purposive or sampling method is “composed of elements that
contain the most characteristics, representative or typical attribute of the population.” (De Vos,
2005). The researcher targeted teachers who man resources units or special classes before the
introduction of inclusive education at their schools and parents of children with disabilities. The
participants were selected based on their consent and willingness to share their views with the
researcher
Data collection
Qualitative Data is information collected from individuals about their experience and opinions.
In qualitative data collection, the Researcher is the main data collection device (Thomas, 2003).
In order to carry out the research inquiry, the Researcher identified and selected data for the
purposes of the research (Merriam, 1998).Data was gathered from face to face interviews with
twenty participants.
Results and Discussions
To what extent is inclusive education impacting on the academic learning and achievements
of
children with disabilities?

High Academic Competition
Inclusive education creates room for competition. Once children start to appreciate each other
whether disabled or not, they start to compete academically. Participants to the study believe that
if children manage to have a conducive environment, academic competition becomes inevitable.
One of the participants believes that her children improved in terms of pass rate as a result of the
inclusive set up her children were exposed to. On the same note, in May 2000, the Indian
Inclusion Study concluded that students with disabilities who were educated in inclusive settings
made significantly greater progress in Mathematics than their peers. The Indian Study, therefore,
provides the testimony on the significance of inclusive education in the academic performance of
children with disabilities. Children with disabilities fare better in an inclusive arrangement. In
support, Research by Hollywood, (1995) found out that inclusion was not detrimental to students
without disabilities. The types of instructional strategies found in inclusive classrooms, including
peer tutoring, co-operative learning groups and differentiated instruction have been shown to be
beneficial to all learners.

Motivating of children with disabilities
The participants’ responses indicate that inclusive education creates a conducive environment for
all learners. According to their responses children with disabilities tend to gain a lot from an
inclusive arrangement. Educating children, in an inclusive set up helps remove barriers which
compromise the learning of children with disabilities and creates a highly motivating
environment to the disabled thus according to one participant. Many researchers believe that
students fail to persevere on tasks they are sufficiently skilled to complete because they suffer
from something called learned helplessness; a conviction rooted in the acquired erroneous belief
that success and failure are determined by external factors (Smith, 2005). Children with
disabilities become motivated when they are exposed to an environment that elicits competition.
The mainstream school provides these children with an ideal situation.

Impact on children with disabilities’ rights
Rights of children with disabilities have not been taken seriously; especially in Zimbabwe .The
fact that there is no policy specifically on children with disabilities is a clear testimony that there
is no commitment on the part of Zimbabwean government (Mpofu, 1995). The two participants
interviewed confirmed the importance of inclusive education especially on observing the rights
of children with disabilities. These participants maintain that Inclusive education put the rights
of children in the spotlight. Over the years most of these children’s
rights were violated
deliberately. Traditionally disabled children were considered of less value as compared to their
counterpart .In most cases the school is made to create an enabling environment so that all
children will be accommodated. With all the noise different organizations are making about
children with disabilities it goes without saying that a lot of policies will put in place in
recognition of these children with disabilities.

Access to amenities and other services
The international conventions that took place in Salamanca in Spain and Dakar in Senegal
deliberated on how to make the school environment user-friendly to all children including those
with disabilities. An inclusive school accommodates children from various backgrounds. Some
will be on wheelchairs, clutches and others will be bed- ridden. What it means is that children
should swiftly move around the school without some hassles. Obviously inclusive schools will
adapt their infrastructure to suit the conditions of all children whether disabled or not.

Pass rates improved
Children tend to believe in one another resulting in all pupils working towards the same goal thus
of achieving the best through sharing of knowledge. Children tend to do whatever everyone is
doing and children with Down syndrome are no exception, says one participant. The pass rate is
increased due to a number of interventions. The extra time which is created to assist children
with disabilities to learn actually encourages all children to work harder and this practice is not
common in a regular class (Thomas, 2003). There is heightened achievement if children are
engaged in extra time lessons. Low achieving students also benefited from the review, practice,
clarity and feedback provided to students with disabilities (Thomas,2003)

Positive self esteem
Self-esteem is an important component in the learning of the child with disabilities. It (selfesteem) arises automatically from within, based upon a person’s beliefs and consciousness
(Braden, 1969). Participants in the study believe that once a child with disabilities gains feelings
of self-worth or self-value or self-respect, it becomes easier for her or him to achieve selfactualization. Inclusive education creates a platform conducive for the development of selfesteem in learners with disabilities. Through interaction, the children with disabilities will realize
that their counterparts (those children without disabilities) appreciate and accept them. In fact,
they do not see the disabilities in them but they just take them like any other friends without the
disabilities. Children with disabilities will eventually feel loved and accepted. Their confidence
and self-worth is boosted. The participants believe that an environment that is free from
segregation and discrimination begets self-esteem in learners.

Assertiveness
When children are in an exclusive arrangement, their teachers do not normally teach them about
their rights .Maybe they feel they are protected from the outside world. Unfortunately many of
these children are vulnerably exposed to abusers and many cases have gone by unreported.
Unlike, when children with disabilities are in an inclusive arrangement, they are taught of their
rights just like any other students. One of the participants maintains that many children with
disabilities have come forward to report their abusers.

Language Acquisition skills
Children who have been included in mainstream classes showed gains of more than two years in
spoken language skills and three years in reading and writing ability on standardized measures.
These measurements of years’ for typically developing children would equate to four and six
year gains for children with Down syndrome, as they usually progress at about five months per
year in these measures (Buckley, 2002). In the same vein, participants in the study viewed
inclusive education in the same manner. Participants concur that children with disabilities
improve in language acquisition skills when they are in an inclusive education set up. Children
with disabilities interact and interface with those without disabilities thereby enabling them to
improve their communication skills .Too much individualized learning can reduce exposure to
age-appropriate models to behaviour/language and opportunities for student to student
interaction (Buckley, 2002).In an inclusive setting, children interact during group work as
opposed to individualized learning that takes place in special school or special class. Life in a
special class or special school leads to social exclusion which impedes the development of
language acquisition skills. It is a demanding situation for a child with disabilities to work one on
one with their assistants for a long period of time.

Co-operation and Acceptance
Participants contend that an inclusive setting facilitates co-operation among learners. Cooperation among learners always yield results in the positive way. Inclusive education
encourages teachers to organize their work in teams and to apply problem oriented teaching
methods as well as paying respect to diversity and different styles among their children (Lipski,
1998). Teachers are afforded opportunities that will see children learning in groups sharing ideas.
Through interactions and co-operation in the groups, children with disabilities expand their
personal interests and knowledge about the world around them which is an excellent way of
preparing for adulthood. All participants in the study argued that inclusive education presents
children with disabilities the opportunities of co-operating with non-disabled children hence
improving their academic learning achievement.
The results of the study are:
a. The level of knowledge acquisition of a child with disabilities is very high when the child with
disabilities is learning in an inclusive environment. There is heightened achievement if the child
is engaged in extra time lessons which include review, practice and clarity.
b. The degree of comprehension of concepts of children with disabilities remarkably improves
when they are placed in an inclusive environment. An inclusive environment entails all the
resources which are needed for the education of children with disabilities.
c. Children with disabilities do well in Mathematics, English language and Content subjects when
they are in an inclusive set up. An inclusive set up encourages children with disabilities interact
with non-disabled. The non-disabled work as the role models for the disabled children.
Recommendations
a. The Government of Zimbabwe should put in place a legislative instrument which speaks
primarily on the implementation of inclusive education by all schools in the country. The
legislative instrument must spell out how inclusive education needs to be implemented.
Currently, there is no law that that regulates the implementation of inclusive education in
Zimbabwe.
b. The Ministry of Education must train its own people on how to staff develop teachers on the
implementation of inclusive education otherwise leaving that responsibility wholly to NGOs
compromises our position as a country.
c. Educational and awareness programs should be carried out in schools by all stakeholders in the
welfare of children with disabilities especially now when the number of teachers for special need
education is still very low. The educational campaigns could also be used to highlight the plight
of children with disabilities thereby influencing the mindsets of all teachers involved in the
teaching of children with disabilities.
d. The implementation of inclusive education should cut across the spectrum of education i.e. from
primary school to tertiary sector. Presently, the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture is
working flat out on implementing inclusion on the primary sector only. Secondary and Tertiary
sectors have been left out.
Conclusion
In conclusion inclusive education `is a philosophy that provides a platform which escalates the
potential of children especially those with disabilities. It creates a conducive environment which
caters for all children in the learning set up. The only challenge that impedes the smooth
implementation
of inclusive education is the provision of funding. There are a number of
structures that need to be put up at schools which must be user-friendly. Infrastructural
development must allow for inclusivity to take place. There is need to upgrade the professional
qualifications of teachers in order to beef up the provision of quality education. It goes without
saying that the curriculum in teachers colleges must be modified to suit the needs and demands
of inclusive education. The Zimbabwean government must also go an extra mile in taking a
serious initiative towards the implementation of inclusive education. Government must try to
come up with legislation that supports the issue of inclusivity in schools. Children must all
access education at the schools in their locality.
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