'n Leerder met fetale alkohol sindroom in hoofstroomonderwys : die rol van die opvoedkundige sielkundige

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research in this qualitative study focuses on the role of the EducationalPsychologist in facilitating inclusion of a learner with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).The international movement towards inclusive education, with emphasis on theinclusion of all learners irrespective of their special needs in mainstream schools,gained momentum in the South African context with the announcement of EducationWhite Paper 6, Special Needs Education: Building an Inclusive Education and Trainingsystem.More learners with FAS are accommodated in mainstream schools and research hasindicated that most cases of FAS in the world prevailed in the Western Cape. FAS isone of the leading causes of mental retardation and the challenges which the inclusionof learners with FAS pose to those who have to facilitate inclusive education, has urgedthis study. The study seeks to explore the role of the Educational Psychologist in theprocess of facilitating inclusion of a learner with FAS.An eco-systemic approach underpins the study. A single learner with FAS within thecontext of the family and education system was chosen by means of purposivesampling as the focus of a qualitative, case study. The eco-systemic approach makes itpossible to explore special needs in terms of intrinsic factors (within the learner) andextrinsic factors (within the system) in order to address the needs of the system. Semistructuredinterviews were held with respondents from different levels of the eco-systemin which the learner functions. A review of personal records and field notes were usedto gather information related to the education and learning process. The data wereanalysed using aspects of content analyses. Four themes emerged: support to thelearner, support to the school, support to the parents and support to the schoolcommunity.The findings indicated that the inclusion of learners with FAS predicts a change and anexpansion in the role of the educational psychologist. Early identification, earlyintervention and a multi-functional team approach seem to improve the long-termprognoses of learners with FAS. The facilitation of inclusive education for learners withFAS poses a challenge to the educational psychologist to render individual support, butalso to provide support in a holistic systemic manner, focusing on those who work andlive with the individual learners. The learning, behaviour and developmental barrierswhich learners with FAS may experience were highlighted with the hope to guide thosewho work with these learners. Several positive and negative factors were indicated andrecommendations were made.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University