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Explaining "non-reform" in special needs education policy in South Africa
Thesis (PhD (Education Management and Policy Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2004.
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University of Pretoria
2013
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| _version_ | 1867613689430933504 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Jansen, Jonathan D. |
| author_browse | Jansen, Jonathan D. |
| author_facet | Jansen, Jonathan D. |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2004, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Thesis (PhD (Education Management and Policy Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2004. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/27834 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:40:08.409Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publishDateRange | 2013 |
| publishDateSort | 2013 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/27834 Explaining "non-reform" in special needs education policy in South Africa Jansen, Jonathan D. herme@global.co.za Laauwen, Hermanean May Policy-making Political symbolism Non-reform Education for all Barriers to learning Policy development process Inclusive education Disability Special needs education Education white paper 6 UCTD Thesis (PhD (Education Management and Policy Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2004. The purpose of my case study research is to explain the development trajectory of Special Needs Education policy in South Africa. I also intended to establish whether this policy reform trajectory could be explained as “non-reform” in Special Needs Education. The development path of policies has been widely researched and explained in relation to theories of change. Over the past decade there has, however, been a growing body of knowledge that has moved the theoretical basis for the development of policy from a traditional linear and causal model to a more complex, dynamic model of change. I was able to draw from both models to engage in my case study research on the development of the Special Needs Education policy. This policy eventually culminated in a Government White Paper on Special Needs Education. My primary research question is to understand why the policy on Special Needs Education did not emerge in South Africa when it was widely expected. I examined “up close” the views, perspectives and understandings of policy makers to establish the reasons for the non-emergence of the Special Needs Policy in South Africa. On closer analysis, I found that not only was there a significant delay between the policy formulation and policy adoption, but that this had created a critical policy vacuum in the Special Needs Education system in South Africa, which warranted an explanation. I found that the main reasons for the “policy-lag” were situated in the intended paradigm shift from a medical based model to an eco-systemic model, the intended restructuring of the special school system, logistical factors, and the availability of resources. This study addresses a gap in the related literature by its focus on the policy-making process for Special Needs Education in a transitional context. Its significance lies in shifting explanations of policy reform from the domain of the causal-linear to a political account of the process. The research was guided by a conceptual framework that combined the linear and iterative models of the policy development processes with the conceptual devices of “theory of action” and “theory in use”. The role of specific paradoxes and the ensuing tensions was formulated using qualitative content analysis. The study produced several new findings with regard to the factors that affect education policy-making in South Africa. Principal amongst these findings was the observation that the politics of participation was the main factor constraining the speed and direction of policy development in Special Needs Education. The findings of this research warrant several conclusions regarding the implementation and the dynamic nature of policy-making. The study concludes with suggestions for future research in policy-making related to Special Needs Education in South Africa. Education Management and Policy Studies unrestricted 2013-09-07T12:28:36Z 2004-09-15 2013-09-07T12:28:36Z 2004-08-05 2004 2004-09-09 Thesis Laauwen, H 2004, Explaining "non-reform" in special needs education policy in South Africa, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://hdl.handle.net/2263/27834 > http://hdl.handle.net/2263/27834 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-09092004-092328/ © 2004, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | Policy-making Political symbolism Non-reform Education for all Barriers to learning Policy development process Inclusive education Disability Special needs education Education white paper 6 UCTD Explaining "non-reform" in special needs education policy in South Africa |
| title | Explaining "non-reform" in special needs education policy in South Africa |
| title_full | Explaining "non-reform" in special needs education policy in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Explaining "non-reform" in special needs education policy in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Explaining "non-reform" in special needs education policy in South Africa |
| title_short | Explaining "non-reform" in special needs education policy in South Africa |
| title_sort | explaining non reform in special needs education policy in south africa |
| topic | Policy-making Political symbolism Non-reform Education for all Barriers to learning Policy development process Inclusive education Disability Special needs education Education white paper 6 UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/27834 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-09092004-092328/ |