About ISPIE
ISPIE is a professional body that began in 2014 and was registered as a non-profit organisation in 2017. Initially supported by Bellavista School, ISPIE is now an independent entity and is open to individuals who are educators, allied health professionals and other appropriately qualified and/or experienced persons working in the field of inclusive education.
- Develop, award and monitor relevant designations in the area of inclusive education
- Promote CPD and CPTD through the development of specialist designations
- Continuously update its members’ knowledge and skills by creating access to information and referral to credible trainers in the field
- Provide learning opportunities for ongoing practitioner development and to maintain professional designation
- Advocate and negotiate for the recognition of prior learning of members
- Ensure quality and ethical services are provided by its members through adherence to the code of ethics and ongoing learning
- Facilitate sharing and communication between practitioners and researchers
- Maintain international links with similar professional bodies as well as research and training institutes
- Promote an understanding and recognition of barriers to learning
- Support the development of contextualised Inclusive Education Practices
ISPIE has been in continuous consultation with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) since 2014.
Attempts to be recognised as a professional body with SAQA have not been successful because ISPIE cannot yet demonstrate financial sustainability over a five-year period.
Furthermore, the registration process is no longer free and thus prohibitive in these early years of the organisation’s existence.
SAQA has, however, indicated support for ISPIE to roll out the professional designations within its organisation as conceptualised.
These designations can only be registered on the National Qualification Framework (NQF) when ISPIE is registered as a professional body.
Since ISPIE’s CIPC registration as a non-profit organisation, a working committee of volunteers has carried out ISPIE’s mandate.
Benefits and achievements include:
- A discount on training fees from IMPACT learning, Professional Minds, ThinkAhead Education Solutions, and Bellavista SHARE
- Reach of practitioners during the pandemic through webinars addressing teachers, learners, and families’ needs
- Annual electronic newsletter has been developed and shared; and Annual General Meetings hosted, usually preceded by a topic of interest
- The ISPIE website is populated with a developing bank of “Fact Sheets” and also recommendations of relevant reads from our members
- The development of three professional designations has been launched
