Kamchedzera, Elizabeth Tikondwe (2010) Education of pupils with disabilities in Malawi's inclusive secondary schools : policy, practice and experiences. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

Malawi is party to a number of international human-rights standards and frameworks
that embrace the goals and values of inclusion and education for all. The country has
therefore made promising start with inclusive education (IE) in basic education. The
challenge now is to extend IE to secondary education and other levels of education.
Located within the interpretative paradigm, this study aims to contribute toward
knowledge development and transfer through the exploration of the extent to which
IE policy initiatives in Malawi's secondary schools have appropriately responded to
the context of practice and the experience of pupils with disabilities and their
teachers. No study has been conducted at secondary school level to explore
meanings given to and interpretations of the policy-to-practice contexts for Malawi.

This study employed Ball's (1994; 2009) policy-trajectory model as an analytical
framework and tool for interrogating the policy-to-practice context of Malawian
inclusive secondary schooling. The research design, methodology and research
questions were structured according to this model. A mixed-methods approach,
using both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods was adopted to fulfil
the aims of the study. Evidence was collected from the contexts of influence through
elite semi-structured interviews, text production through documentary analysis, and
practice through teachers' questionnaires, classroom observations and semistructured
interviews with pupils with disabilities.

The findings confirm the mismatch between the policy and practice, although there
is much goodwill for inclusion to succeed in Malawi. Two critical issues that
challenge inclusion in countries of the South such as Malawi still need to be
addressed: how to make IE more effective for both pupils with disability and those
without disabilities; and how to redistribute resources to ensure appropriate preservice,
in-service and specialist training for secondary teachers and adequate
teaching and learning materials. With regard to both issues, responsiveness has to
provide space for bottom-up initiatives in all the three broad contexts of influence,
text production, and practice. Considering the historical imbalance in the resourcing
of primary and secondary education in Malawi and the non-contestation of inclusion
in the contexts of influence and practice, the conclusion is that IE policy that
adequately responds to contexts of practice and achieves leverage on adequate
resources can build on the existing goodwill of elites, teachers, and pupils to have
effective IE in Malawi's secondary schools.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1603 Secondary Education. High schools L Education > LC Special aspects of education
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Children with disabilities -- Malawi, Children with disabilities -- Education (Elementary) -- Malawi, Education, Secondary -- Malawi, Inclusive education -- Malawi, Mainstreaming in education -- Malawi
Official Date:	November 2010
Dates:	Date Event November 2010 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Institute of Education
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Aubery, Carol
Sponsors:	Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSCUK) ; All Saints Educational Trust ; University of Warwick. Institute of Education
Extent:	404 leaves : illustrations
Language:	eng

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