Inclusive Education as a Pathway to Enhancing the Mental Health and Well-Being of Learners with Disabilities in South African Schools

Abstract

The mental health and well-being of learners with disabilities remain critical concerns in South African schools despite efforts to advance inclusive education. Learners with disabilities often experience exclusion, stigma, discrimination, and inadequate support, which can undermine their psychological well-being and educational experiences. Guided by the Learner Integration Wheel (LIW): Theory of Practice, this study explored how inclusive education promotes the mental health and well-being of learners with disabilities in South African schools. The LIW theory emphasises collaborative engagement among teachers, parents, peers, school management teams, and support professionals, arguing that learners thrive when schools foster acceptance, participation, support, and equitable access to learning opportunities. Situated within an interpretivist paradigm, the study employed a qualitative multiple case study design. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews and reflective writing activities with participants involved in inclusive education and were analysed thematically. Findings revealed two major themes: inclusive practices that promote learners’ mental health and well-being, and challenges that constrain such efforts. The study concludes that inclusive education extends beyond academic access to encompass learners’ psychological, social, and emotional well-being. It recommends strengthening stakeholder collaboration, enhancing teacher capacity, expanding school-based psychosocial support, and developing inclusive school cultures that uphold dignity, participation, and well-being.