Brief Introduction To Inclusive Education Western Cape

							Brief Introduction To Inclusive Education Western Cape
Inclusive Education Western Cape was founded in 1995 by a group of parents and members of
various non-governmental organisations operating in the Western Cape, who wished to explore
and promote the concept of inclusion of children with disabilities in their local neighbourhood
schools. These people were inspired by the new South African Constitution, the Salamanca
Statement of 1994 as well as the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child of 1995. With the
conclusion of the National Commission on Special Needs in Education and Training at the end of
1997, which recommended an inclusive approach to addressing barriers to learning, it
became obvious that there was a need for a more structured intervention. Therefore in 1999, with
the aid of a 3 year grant from the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, this organisation was able to
establish an office/Resource Centre and employ part-time staff. Since that time it has gone from
strength to strength, and it is now a formally registered Non-Profit Organisation whose services
are highly sought after, and which has developed a close partnership with the learning support
staff of the Western Cape Education Department. IEWC’s work is firmly underpinned by current
government policy, as outlined in the SA Schools Act of 1996 and Education White Paper 6 of
2001: Building an inclusive education and training system.


                                                IEWC’s VISION
    Our vision is of a fully inclusive society that recognises diversity and the right of all people to have
    equal opportunities to participate to their fullest potential, regardless of disability, difficulty or any
                                                other difference.
    We believe that this can best be achieved through a fully inclusive education system, which strives
                   to meet the needs of all children in ordinary neighbourhood schools.


Brief CV’s of Presenters
Nafisa Baboo                                               Harriet Loebenstein
2004 Facilitation Skills SA College of Applied             1978    B.A. (UCT)
Psychology                                                 1977    HDE (Sec) (UCT)
2004 Project Management Peninsula Technikon                1980    DSE (Clin.Rem. -1980) (UCT) - with Distinction
2004 Public Relations UNISA                                1995    Mercy Montessori Primary Teacher's Diploma
                                                           2000    B. Ed. - with Distinction UNISA
2000 BSc. Logopaedics (Speech-language and Hearing
                                                           2002    M.Ed. - with Distinction US
Therapy) UCT
                                                           2005    Ph. D
2005 Masters in Education (Thesis) in progress
UWC
Laetitia Brummer                                           Charlene Nissen
1957 BA, HOD, 1962 B.Ed -US                                BA, HDE (UCT) Rem. Dip. B Ed, M Ed (Specialized Ed.)
1977 HED Post Graduate Pre-Primary – UNISA                 (Stell.)
1987 B.Ed update (This was directed course that led to      Learning Support teacher
registration with the SA Medical and Dental Council as      Learning Support facilitator – at Education
Educational, Guidance and Clinical Psychometrist) -US          Management and Development Centre – Metropole
1993 M.Ed (Thesis on “Needs of Parents of                      South (District –based Support Team) – Western
Handicapped Pre-schoolers attending a Special School”)         Cape Education Department – 2001 - 2004
– UCT                                                       Facilitator – Inclusive Education Course – Cape
Other Academic Activities/qualifications:                      Teaching Institute, Western Cape Education
1963-1964 attended post-graduate courses in education          Department for Consortium for Inclusive Education
and psychometrical testing of young children)-University    Trainer – Inclusive Education Western Cape – 2005 –
of Amsterdam                                                Extensive experience in doing whole school
1980- attended two upgrade courses on the inclusion of         development for inclusion at schools in the Western
children with disabilities-McMaster University, Canada         Cape.
1981 qualified as instructor for Parent Effectiveness       Trainer for the Revised National Curriculum
Training (PET)-Cape Town                                       Statements – particular interest in helping educators
1988 attended post-graduate course “Parent, teacher,           develop learning programmes and lesson material to
child”- University of Toledo, Ohio                             accommodate learners with barriers to learning and
1997 attended Duckworth course “Changing Negative              development in their classrooms.
attitudes Towards Disability”
2004 qualified as Assessor for ETDP Seta-ELRU