1. Introduction

This study iranvestigated the subject of inclusivity in distance education from the dimension of technology use, in the context of South Africa, with the intention and by extension that it would apply to developing and underdeveloped countries of the world where access to technology remains a struggle. The issue of what inclusivity in distance education from the dimension of access to technology, technology disability and skills is a major subject. Thus,exploring inclusivity in distance education with regards to issues revolving around access to technology, technology disability and skills especially in the context of sforming the higher education sector in alignment with “the South Africa and by extension the majority world is pertinent ^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]}.

2. Application

There is need for edn Constitucational leaders to consider reconceptualising disabilities and inclusivity with regards to the postdigital era. This is based on the notion that disabilities and the need for inclusivity with regards to teaching and learning in the 21^st centu has led to increased enry and by extension the digital and postdigital eras goes beyond physical impairment. The case of people who are unable to manipulate technological gadget in the corridors of teaching and learning are to be considered. Moreover, they are likely to experience some difficult situations with regards to teaching and learning as would be encountered by people living with disabilities in various ways. Meanwhile, in the specific context of South Africa, transforming the higher education sector in alignment with “the South African Constitution has led to increased enrollments of learners with disabilities” ^[7].lments of learners with disabilities” (Ntombela, 2020, 18). Similarly, Isaacs (2020) states that For instance, “over the last four decades, increasing numbers of disabled learners have entered institutions of higher education worldwide. Since 1994, the South African Government has been committed to transforming educational policy to redress the past oppression of disabled persons” (p. ^[3]58). This is suggestive of the efforts being made as well ass following the long history of apartheid in South Africa prior to 1994, the extent to which the nation attempts to cater for persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusivity in the higher education sector especially following the long history of apartheid prior to 1994. The same can be said of the majority world which is predominantly African nations and others categorised as developing and underdeveloped. In some other instances, these nations are considered as the ‘global south’

Furthermore, in. Also, it clusivity in the higher education of underdeveloped and developing countries can n be viewed from the perspective of the nations attempting to follow the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 of the United Nations (2015) ^[9], which is targeted at ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. In the South African context, McKenzie and Dalton ^[7](2020, 1) state that “South Africa has undertaken the implementation of inclusive education as a vehicle for achieving enhanced educational outcomes and equity”. This is indicative of the extent to which inclusive education is embraced and upheld in and by the nation. In congruence, Makuya and Sedibe ^[4](2021) emphasize that “the policy of inclusion is one of the key policies enacted by the Department of Education in South Africa since the demise of apartheid” (p. 561). In furtherance, from a historical point of view, McKenzie and Dalton ^[7](2020, 1), citing Gwalla-Ogisi, Nkabinde and Rodriguez ^[6](2006), state that “with the advent of democracy in South Africa, issues of curriculum change and provision of quality education to all children of all race groups assumed a high priority, largely because of the preferential treatment of white children under apartheid”. McKenzie and Dalton ^[7](2020) hold the view that “an overhaul of the entire education system was undertaken, and this included a reconsideration of special education and educational support” (p. 2). In South Africa, although schools as well as educators in the context of this study are doing their best to ensure inclusivity in education, certain challenges tend to affect efforts made (Shadaya ^[8]& Mushoriwa, 2017). However, Morrison, Brand and Cilliers ^[6](2009) had earlier stated that “dealing with the special needs of learners with disabilities brings new challenges to institutions” (p. 202). This suggests that while challenges are being resolved, there are tendencies for more to emanate. Thus, schools which aim at receiving recognition for more inclusivity need a proactive approach which cuts across the entire institutional environment ^[6](Morrison, Brand & Cilliers, 2009). In However, how proactive can the approach be? What would the likelyorder to achieve the aim of the study, the steps for scoping review as identified by Romund (2017) as well as Arksey and O’Malley (2005) were followed in the methodology:

Step ou1: Identcome of such be? Meanwhile, all these are in the singular focus ofification of the research question(s) as well as the domain which needs exploration. The researcher identified the research question guiding the study which is: What is inclusivity in terms of the impaireddistance education from the dimension of access to technology, technology disability and skills? The author considers the identified question as a domain which needs to be explored.

Step -2: Find (search) people living with disabilities. Whathase: A search was done on two databases known as Scopus and Web of Science (WoS). These two databases were selected following the submission of scholars, which attributes them to being the big commercial, bibliographic databases for scholarly literature.

Step 3: Selecthen is the fate of those living with technological disabilities due to their inabilities to manipulate technological gadgets, yet living in the digital era? Nothing seems to be said or done about such people. Hence, a crucial question phase: For this study, the search terms were: “inclusive” AND “distance” AND “education” AND “disability” AND “South Africa”. Following the search, published articles and conference articles were included, while books and book chapters were excluded. The reason for the inclusion of published articles and conference articles was because of the review process involved in journal and conference articles. The researcher believes journal articles and conference proceedings go through rigorous review compared to books and book chapters. Furthermore, at this phase, the author eliminated certain articles which were considered irrelevant following certain criteria such as not being in the specific context of South Africa which is the focus of the study. Also, articles which did not have inclusive in the main texts but reference lists were excluded because it implied that they are not in the context of the study. Thus, articles which were in the context of South Africa and had inclusive in the main text, not necessarily reference list were included for analysis in the study.

Step 4: Extraction aneeds to be asked and answers proffered: How inclusive isd/or chart phase: At this stage, the data from selected relevant studies are to be organised. In the context of this study, the researcher organised the final corpus of 18 relevant articles into how inclusiveon in education in the digital and postdigital eras? This is because there is need to trace how s considered and presented in different articles by various scholars. In the analysis of the final corpus of 18 articles adopted for this study, inclusion was presented and explained in the context of disabled persons. In the other three articles, inclusion was presented in each of them in the following contexts: inclusive education is perceived in the South Africanon as per teaching a particular subject considered difficult; inclusion in the context of rural schools and learners into learning activities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic; and inclusion in terms of social context.

Step in5: reCollation to how it should be in the digital and postdigital eraa. Suffice to state that while, ior summary phase: At this stage, the author summarizes the findings of the study. It is at this stage that the data can be coded, categorised, thereafter theme generated for explanation. Thus, in the context of this study, from the analysed final corpus of relevant literature themes were generated following the coding, and categorization from the submission of the scholars. The identified themes which were discussed are: 1. Inclusivity in the context of historically disadvantaged (black) persons, i2. Inclusivity in the context of physically challenged (disabled) persons, i3. Inclusivity - for persons with special educational needs (SEN), among others ar4. Way forward.

Se crqucial and provision made for in the South African context, technologically disabled persons seems to be left out. Whilst this may be possible and acceptable pre-21^st cel to the findings of the study and discussions, a submission is made. The scoping revienturyw or predigital era, it is almost impossible in the digital and postdigital era. Technology is a major useful tool in demand for teaching and learningshows that the focus on inclusivity in education as expected has been in the 21^st ceontury, let alone for distance education.

3. Influence

Text of the disabled. Thus, the concept of inclusive education remains a term associated with physically challenged people; in other words, persons with disabilities. In the context of South Africa, inclusivity in education may be attributed to the context of two dimensions, particularly of historically disadvantaged persons who are predominantly from black areas, and physically impaired persons. HThe scowever,ping review therefore presents that inclusivity in the digital and/or postdigital eras, inclusivity is to be reconsidered and redefined. In other words, the study indicated that the focus on inclusive education in the South African context and by extension the majority world iis directed towards physically impaired or challenged persons whereas non-digitally savvy persons are to be considered.

4. New Progress

Th. Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are madere is need forto educational leaders to consider reconcin specific:

• Distance education should be reconsidered to include issues revolving around lack of knowledge and skills in the use of technology. This could be as a result of learners’ lack of access to needed technological gadgets and technology such as computers, internet connectivity, technological skills and so forth.
• Also, policies of inclusivity in education should be reviewed and revised to include persons who lack technological knowledge and skills.

Septualising disabilities and inclusivity with regards to the postdigital era. Meanwhile, distance education should be reconected references / sources

Cidered tato include issues revolving around lack of knowledge and skills in the use of technology. This could be as a result of learners’ lack of access to needed technological gadgetion and link to actual paper which contains all the references and technology such as computers, internsources cited in the work:

Ulet conanectivity, technological skills and so forth. Also, policies of iya, C. Reconceptualising Disabilities and Inclusivity in education should be reviewed and revised to include persons who lack for the Postdigital Era: Recommendations to Educational Leaders. Educ. Sci. 2023, 13, 51.

htechnoltps://dogical knowledge and skills.i.org/10.3390/educsci13010051