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In South Africa, access to education is regarded as a right enshrined in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution yet issues of inequality, poor access and exclusion remain as intense as they have always been for students with disabilities. When universities closed due to Covid-19, all students suffered in one way or the other but those with disabilities suffered the most as their support is not mainstreamed. This highlighted the need to create a seamless system of student support if we are to leave no student behind. To do this, the paper proposes the adoption of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a framework that supports inclusive teaching and learning. Adopting UDL is critical in ensuring curriculum access and in addressing fragmented student support. Supporting students with disabilities should be everyone's responsibility and the sooner we adopt the principles of UDL, the better the learning outcomes for all students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sheds light on how to develop inclusive pedagogy in higher education, from the point of view of 42 inclusive faculty members from 6 Spanish universities. A qualitative methodology was used through semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data analysis was inductive, using a system of categories and topics. The results reveal that the faculty members which develop inclusive pedagogy in general have beliefs linked to the social model of disability and inclusive education approaches. They do not usually have specific training or knowledge about disability. They design their curricula in a flexible and open way to accommodate all students. They show a positive attitude toward students with disabilities and use diverse and participatory teaching methodologies, giving prominence to students. These data are consistent with those found in previous studies and offer keys to those faculty members who are interested in developing an inclusive pedagogy at the university. This paper examines in detail how faculty members of six faculties of educational sciences develop a theoretical framework comprising beliefs, knowledge, designs and actions. The research has found that faculty members hold beliefs about disability based on the social model of disability and inclusive approach. In general, inclusive faculty members' knowledge of disability and attention to diversity issues is scarce. The design of courses and teaching programmes led by inclusive university faculty is characterised by being open, flexible and providing clear and detailed information to students. Faculty who develop inclusive pedagogy use varied, participative and active methodologies, which are combined with a positive and approachable attitude towards students with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early school leaving (ESL) is a serious concern for education authorities in many countries such as Spain. This investigation is aimed at identifying the weak points of educational support policies and making proposals to strengthen them. The article reviews more than 40 documents, including state-level and regional-level laws and regulations about educational support. The analysis of the legal framework was based on three relevant axes for the educational support configuration: support needs attribution, support strategies and agents of support. These three axes shed light on how education policies can prevent education systems from guaranteeing inclusive education. Findings show the need to de-assign the individual attribution of needs that remains directly or indirectly underpinned by Spanish regulations. Regarding support strategies, policies should foster learning acceleration rather than adaptive and low expectation strategies. Finally, more legal guidance is needed to scaffold support agents' real involvement. Despite having high rates of early schooling, Spain is not among those countries that have lower rates of early school leaving (ESL). The implementation of support measures is key to overcoming inequalities. This review of education policies found that the guidelines addressed to Spanish schools include statements that are ambiguous or contradict the inclusion principles. This article provides a useful framework for schools and policymakers to analyse policies and guidelines regarding educational support based on how these address students' needs, strategies and measures implemented, and all the people involved. The analysis of Spanish official documents shows a tendency to attribute learning difficulties to the students themselves, especially when they are diagnosed with any disability. Support policies are crucial to promote inclusive educational support. However, support guidelines are still influenced by clinical models, over reliance on curricular adaptation and student segregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]