Parents ’ Experiences of Their Rights in the Implementation of Inclusive Education in

ABSTRACT Parental involvement was a driving and decisive factor in the development of inclusive education worldwide. In South Africa parents also became the advocates of the inclusive education move-ment in the 1990s, paving the way for parents to be involved in the decision-making process regarding the school placement of their children with disabilities. The purpose of this article is to focus on the way in which equity, individual rights and freedom of choice manifest itself in the implementation of inclusive education with specific refer-ence to the way in which parents experience it. Results indicate that the inclusion of a child into mainstream education is a challenging and dynamic process that starts with the parents ’ decision to place their child in a mainstream setting. In spite of legislation and the desires of parents, the development of inclusive educational practises in South Africa does not always reflect the values of equity and individual rights. Failure to establish collaborative and trusting relationships between teachers, parents and professionals poses a major challenge and can have a serious impact on the outcomes of inclusive education. KEY WORDS: attitudes; collaboration; disabilities; educational support; equity; freedom of choice; inclusive education; individual right