Inclusion in New Zealand Secondary Schools: Policy and Practice

Abstract

This thesis considers the possibilities and limitations of current New Zealand education policy in fulfilling the national and global inclusive education agendas. The particular context of the study is secondary education in New Zealand. It responds to gaps in the literature that have described, examined and critiqued inclusion in education and Special Education policies, practices and processes since 1989 and their implementation within a neoliberal policy environment. Perspectives of secondary school principals as overall managers of schools, learning support leaders, classroom teachers, and pre-service teachers as new professionals preparing to enter inclusive classrooms were sought to inform and support arguments developed in the thesis. The thesis adopted a mixed methods approach. The multi-level complexities of institutionalising inclusion as the new policy direction in New Zealand secondary schools have been examined through three interrelated studies. Study One surveyed the Conceptions of Inclusion held by a cohort of pre-service secondary teachers at the beginning and end of their one-year teacher education programme. In Study Two data from semi-structured interviews provided insights to how inclusive beliefs, attitudes and values were developed and incorporated into inclusive classroom practices of three secondary schools. Study Three presented a critical historical approach to policy development and the expression of its contemporary expectations in national and school based documents. The findings from the three studies demonstrated that the contested nature of the concept of inclusion, its development from Special Education and its current co-existence with a Special Education Division within the Ministry of Education continues to create tensions for policy implementation. Pre-service teachers held positive attitudes and beliefs about inclusion but remained concerned that they had not received knowledge and skills required to become inclusive educators. Secondary school leaders were committed to establishing an inclusive school culture and to supporting all staff in developing inclusive classroom practices despite the challenges that these school educators faced in being agents of change. Analyses of national and local documents demonstrated that today’s educators can both support and challenge policy prescriptions in their quest to provide inclusive educational experiences for all students.