The Hermeneutics of Inclusion
Date
2013-07-15
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Abstract
This thesis explored the topic of inclusion using Hans-Georg Gadamer’s hermeneutics. Specifically, this thesis examined inclusion for students in K-12 codified as having severe emotional and behavioural disabilities (EBD) in the province of Alberta, Canada. The current trend in Alberta to talk about an inclusive education system could be seen as a response to the ongoing exclusion of students with EBD over the past 100 years. The research within this thesis involved interviewing three educators who de-segregated a highly specialized class for students with severe EBD to create inclusive classrooms. They implemented a co-operative teaching and inquiry based model for their year-long project. According to the educators interviewed, student’s academic skills and understanding improved and negative student behaviours diminished significantly. Themes emerged which contributed to the success of inclusion: listening and tactfully responding to questions students have about one another and curriculum topics; educators’ openness to ask questions of themselves and one another; seeing all students as capable learners; working in teams to facilitate and guide student learning; administrative support for inclusion; and inquiry based learning.
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Education--History of, Education--Philosophy of, Education--Special
Citation
Gilham, C. (2013). The Hermeneutics of Inclusion (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28163