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Over the last few decades, advances and innovations in the field of disability and disability supports have resulted in changes in the way in which disability is understood and conceptualised. These changes, which embrace a person-environment fit model of disability, have obvious implications for disability supports and research. Within such conceptualizations, more attention must be given to the interaction between people with disability and the environments in which they live, learn, work, and play. As such, there has been increased attention on the rights of people with disabilities to be fully included in their communities and to the importance of self-determination, participation, and quality of life. This emphasis also underscores the importance of inclusive education in creating learning spaces for children with disabilities. This chapter explores what is inclusive education in an African context and outlines a good model of inclusive education schools in an urban setting from an African philosophy of Ubuntu.

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of women with disabilities living in an inclusive community setting in Mutorashanga, Mashonaland West province in Zimbabwe. An inclusive community setting is one that aims to remove exclusionary practices within the community system and promote community systems that accept all people irrespective of their difference. Inclusive community practices on their own are not uniquely designed for people with disabilities, but they have been adopted by most developing countries as a basic strategy to influence and enhance social acceptance and personal growth among people with disabilities. A constructivist lived experience perspective underpinned this research, in which multiple case studies were used to interact with the participants on inclusion and their experience living in an inclusive community setting. Ten participants (all women) were purposively sampled. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and transcribed verbatim. Four themes emerged from the inductive thematic analysis of data sources. It was found that participants were exposed to negative attitudes from their families and communities. The participants also indicated they were facing serious disability-related challenges and were living in abject poverty and lacked useful education. The findings of this study have the potential for the inclusive communities‟ policymakers and researchers to better understand experiences of women with disabilities living in an inclusive community setting.

The main focus of this study was to explore the experiences of Zimbabwean teachers ‟s in the teaching of sex education to learner‟ learners with mental retardation. A constructivist lived experience perspective underpinned this research, in which multiple case studies were used to interact with the participants on their experience in teaching sex education to learners with mental retardation. Five participants (3 males and 2 females) all teachers were purposively sampled from a special school for the mentally retarded learners in Mashonaland West Province in Zimbabwe. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and transcribed verbatim. Five themes emerged from the inductive thematic analysis of data sources. It was found that participants had a correct understanding of sex education and had correct content to be on sex education. The participants also showed that they were trained in teaching sex education to learners with mental retardation as they were able to draw relevant teaching methods for the subject to the intended beneficiaries. However, they indicated that they were facing serious challenges in teaching sex education to learners with mental retardation. They were also able to suggest strategies to enhance the teaching of sex education to learners with mental retardation. The findings of this study have the potential for education policymakers and researchers to better understand the experiences of teachers ‟s in the teaching of sex education to learners with mental retardation.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the causes of indiscipline among learners with disabilities in education setting in Sanyati District in Zimbabwe The researcher examined the causes of indiscipline among learners with disabilities in education setting in Sanyati District in Zimbabwe of the influence of teacher class management skills, teachers attitudes towards learners with disabilities teacher lesson preparation on indiscipline among learners with disabilities learning in inclusive education setting. A survey to determine investigate the causes of indiscipline among learners with disabilities in education setting in Sanyati District in Zimbabwe was carried using thirty teachers (15 males, 15 female) from both primary and secondary schools in Sanyati district in Zimbabwe. Measures of central tendencies (mode, percentages) were used to analyse data from the study. The study found out that they were a great influence of teacher class management skills, teacher’s attitudes towards learners with disabilities teacher lesson preparation on indiscipline among learners with disabilities learning in inclusive education setting in Sanyati District in Zimbabwe. This study recommends in servicing of teachers teaching learners with disabilities in inclusive education to equip them with basic special needs education skills so that they know how to handle such learners in an inclusive education setting. Keywords: Disabilities, inclusion, discipline, indiscipline, class management, attitude, teacher preparation

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of learners with mental retardation learning in an inclusive education setting in Kadoma Urban in Zimbabwe. An inclusive education setting is one that aims to remove exclusionary practices within the education system and promote education systems that accept all people irrespective of their difference. Inclusive education practices on its own is not uniquely designed for people with disabilities, but they have been adopted by most developing countries as a basic strategy to influence and enhance social acceptance and personal growth among people with disabilities. A constructivist lived experience perspective underpinned this research, in which multiple case studies were used to interact with the participants on inclusion and their experience learning in an inclusive education among learners with mental retardation, (7 participants; 2 males and 5 females) were purposively sampled. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and transcribed verbatim. Three themes emerged from the inductive thematic analysis of data sources. It was found that participants were not recognising inclusive education peers without mental retardation as significant others, the study also found poor self-acceptance in the participants and they reported low levels of social acceptance in their schools. The findings of this study have the potential for the inclusive communities’ policy makers and researchers to better understand the attitudes of learners with mental retardation towards learning in inclusive education settings. Keywords: Inclusive education, learners with mental retardation, self-acceptance, social acceptance, peers’

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore the psychological well-being of adolescents with physical disabilities living in inclusive community settings of Makonde Urban in Zimbabwe. An inclusive community is one that aims to remove exclusionary practices within the community and promote community systems that accept all people irrespective of their difference. Inclusive communities on their own are not uniquely designed for people with disabilities, but most developing countries have adopted them as a basic strategy to influence and enhance psychological well-being of people with disabilities.Methods: A constructivist lived experience perspective underpinned this research, in which multiple case studies were used to interact with the participants on inclusion and psychological well-being of adolescents with physical disabilities. Purposive sampling was used to select 14 participants (9 males and 5 females). Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and transcribed verbatim. Four themes emerged from the thematic analysis of data sources.Results: It was found that participants who were adolescents with physical disabilities living in inclusive community settings of Makonde Urban in Zimbabwe were having high levels of autonomy and choice, purpose in life, positive relations with others and good personal growth and self-acceptance.Conclusion: The findings of this study should enable inclusive communities’ policy-makers and researchers to better understand the psychological well-being of adolescents with physical disabilities living in inclusive communities.

Inclusive education is fundamental to addressing the needs of diverse learners though it continues to be controversial due to the varied understandings and practices of inclusive philosophy. This chapter highlights inclusive education practices and opportunities in the context of Botswana, particularly paying attention to how inclusive practices have evolved under the different education policies.

This chapter examines the historical and contemporary events influencing disability spaces for learning, teaching and administration of education in Zimbabwe. We reconceptualise and operationalise related practices from a power, knowledge and social difference perspective, projecting social policy driven agendas increasingly inclusive of organisation of and for people with disability.

The purpose of this study was to find out the level of community engagement of people with disabilities in entrepreneurship programmes in rural Zimbabwe. The study used survey methods to assess com...

The thrust of the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) is to produce graduates who, in addition to being specialists in their respective fields. In trying to develop these research capacities, the statis...

The study sought to determine perceived challenges faced by: (a) students with special needs in Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in Zimbabwe; (b) teachers of students with special needs in ECD centers in Zimbabwe; and (c) to assess how these perceived challenges could be addressed. A survey design was used to assess these perceived challenges. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews and observations check list. A random sample of 50 ECD teachers (40 female, 10 male) and 20 parents (10 male, 10 female) of children with special needs were used in this study. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and themes derived from research questions used in this study. The study found that children with special needs in ECD centers were being taught by untrained teachers; these children were used as surrogate mothers at the centers; and the school curriculum was inappropriate; and the physical environment was poor. Students with special needs are learning u nder very challenging conditions in these centers.

KEYWORDS Challenges. Open and Distance Learning Institutions. Visual Impaired Students. Zimbabwe ABSTRACT The main aim of this study was to determine perceived challenges faced by visually-impaired students in Open and Distance Learning centres in Zimbabwe. A descriptive survey approach was used in this study. A purposive sample of 102 students with visual impairments in 5 ODL tertiary institutions in Zimbabwe was used in this study. Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using percentages and qualitative data were analysed using themes derived from research questions. The study found that ODL modes of delivery were exclusionary in nature and lacked suitable facilities catering for students with disabilities. Implications of the findings are presented in detail in the study.

This study sought to: (a) examine the role of the Zimbabwe Patients' Charter of Rights in enabling health care access by people with disabilities living with HIV and AIDS; and (b) explore policy translational issues influencing access to HIV and AIDS treatment and care services by people with disabilities living with HIV and AIDS. A survey approach was used to collect data in this study. A purposive sample of 35 people with disabilities living with HIV and AIDS in a rural district of Zimbabwe was used. Participants self-reported on their awareness of Patients' Rights in the context of the national charter; perceived access to competent health care and treatment services; access to information on HIV/AIDS issues, national healthy policies and skills available at community level to work with people with disabilities on HIV/AIDS issues. The study found that people with disabilities perceive health care as a basic right. However, people with disabilities also reported significant barriers to access competent healthcare and treatment. Most often, their treatment and care were significantly delayed, and where it was offered, individuals with hearing, visual impairments and intellectual disabilities were stereotyped as incompetent patients unable to represent or articulate their health care needs.