scholarly journals Provision of Assistive Technology for Students with Disabilities in South African Higher Education: A Decolonial Perspective

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sibonokuhle Ndlovu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
South African ◽  
Assistive Devices ◽  
Disability Rights ◽  
Contemporary Debate ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
African Context ◽  
South African Higher Education

This paper used the decolonial theory to analyse provision of Assistive Technology and assistive devices at an institution of higher education in South African. It was an empirical study, in which data were collected through interviews with students with disabilities and the Disability Rights Centre staff members. The paper sought to understand the invisible hidden implications of provision of Assistive Technology and assistive devices. The finding was that it is students with disabilities who were provided with Assistive Technology and assistive devices at the institution. The institution provided them through the Centre, to support their learning. However, this way of provision was found to be stigmatising and segregative. Furthermore, while the provision on one hand enabled students with disabilities’ learning, on the other, it constrained it. The argument of the paper is that when provision of Assistive Technology and assistive devices is for a particular group of students it defeats the whole purpose for it is intended, and could hinder rather than promote learning. It is hoped that the paper will contribute to contemporary debate on provision of Assistive Technology and support services for people with disabilities in low resource settings, from a South African context specifically, and in higher education broadly.

scholarly journals Provision of Assistive Technology for Students with Disabilities in South African Higher Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 3892
Author(s):  
Sibonokuhle Ndlovu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
South African ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Assistive Devices ◽  
Assistive Device ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Design For Learning

This paper used the Critical Disability Theory (CDT) to analyse the provision of assistive technology (AT) and assistive devices at an institution of higher education in South African. In this empirical study, data were collected through interviews with students with disabilities and Disability Rights Centre staff members. The paper sought to explore the effectiveness of the provision of AT and assistive devices, in terms of enabling students with disabilities’ learning. The provision was deemed inadequate, and a specific AT and assistive device was inaccessible to one category of disability, consequently limiting learning. The paper concludes that the provision of assistive devices at the institution enabled students with disabilities’ learning, however, there was a need for improvement by way of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The UDL will help all diverse students, including students with disabilities in all their categories of disability, to be assisted to learn through the provision of AT and assistive devices. It is hoped that the paper will contribute to contemporary debates on the provision of AT and assistive devices for people with disabilities in low-resource settings, from a South African context specifically, and in higher education broadly.

scholarly journals Wheelchair users, access and exclusion in South African higher education

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Desire Chiwandire ◽  
Louise Vincent
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
South African ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Wheelchair Users ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
South African Universities ◽  
The Right

Background: South Africa’s Constitution guarantees everyone, including persons with disabilities, the right to education. A variety of laws are in place obliging higher education institutions to provide appropriate physical access to education sites for all. In practice, however, many buildings remain inaccessible to people with physical disabilities.Objectives: To describe what measures South African universities are taking to make their built environments more accessible to students with diverse types of disabilities, and to assess the adequacy of such measures.Method: We conducted semi-structured in-depth face-to-face interviews with disability unit staff members (DUSMs) based at 10 different public universities in South Africa.Results: Challenges with promoting higher education accessibility for wheelchair users include the preservation and heritage justification for failing to modify older buildings, ad hoc approaches to creating accessible environments and failure to address access to toilets, libraries and transport facilities for wheelchair users.Conclusion: South African universities are still not places where all students are equally able to integrate socially. DUSMs know what ought to be done to make campuses more accessible and welcoming to students with disabilities and should be empowered to play a leading role in sensitising non-disabled members of universities, to create greater awareness of, and appreciation for, the multiple ways in which wheelchair user students continue to be excluded from full participation in university life. South African universities need to adopt a systemic approach to inclusion, which fosters an understanding of inclusion as a fundamental right rather than as a luxury.

The Inclusion and Support of Students With Disabilities in the South African Higher Education System

2022 ◽  
pp. 1295-1310
Author(s):  
Sithabile Ntombela ◽  
Vimbi Petrus Mahlangu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
South African ◽  
Education System ◽  
Social Model ◽  
The South ◽  
Social Model Of Disability ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
African Higher Education ◽  
South African Higher Education

The intention of this chapter is to contribute to the scholarship of diversity, equity, and inclusivity in contemporary higher education. Its purpose is to develop an understanding of pedagogical issues concerning the inclusion and support of students with disabilities in the South African higher education system through literature review. The chapter will contribute to debate on policy imperatives and how these have informed practice, the social model of disability and its role in shaping educational provision, access and support constraints as products of intersectionality of disability and disablement, and possible ways to re-culture higher education for support.

The Inclusion and Support of Students With Disabilities in the South African Higher Education System

2019 ◽  
pp. 195-210
Author(s):  
Sithabile Ntombela ◽  
Vimbi Petrus Mahlangu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
South African ◽  
Education System ◽  
Social Model ◽  
The South ◽  
Social Model Of Disability ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
African Higher Education ◽  
South African Higher Education

The intention of this chapter is to contribute to the scholarship of diversity, equity, and inclusivity in contemporary higher education. Its purpose is to develop an understanding of pedagogical issues concerning the inclusion and support of students with disabilities in the South African higher education system through literature review. The chapter will contribute to debate on policy imperatives and how these have informed practice, the social model of disability and its role in shaping educational provision, access and support constraints as products of intersectionality of disability and disablement, and possible ways to re-culture higher education for support.

scholarly journals Assessing the outcomes of the higher education mergers in South Africa: Implications for strategic management

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecil A. Arnolds ◽  
Regina N. Stofile ◽  
Riyaadh Lillah
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Job Performance ◽  
South African ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Organisational Commitment ◽  
Comprehensive Universities ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Educational Environments ◽  
Higher Education Mergers ◽  
South African Higher Education

Objective of the study: The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between perceived merger outcomes, employee organisational commitment and employee job performance in South African higher education institutions.Problem investigated: High levels of negativity towards the mergers have initially been reported. The unbundling of certain mergers has been mooted. The outcomes of these mergers must therefore be evaluated.Methodology: A total of 329 questionnaires were collected from academic and non-academic staff at three comprehensive universities. Descriptive statistics were calculated and multiple regression analysis was conducted.Findings: The empirical results show, amongst other things, that (1) perceptions about merger goal success are significantly related to the organisational commitment and job performance intentions of employees, (2) organisational commitment levels are average and should be increased, (3) perceptions about workload fairness are significantly related to the organisational commitment of employees, and (4) employees have experienced an increased workload.Value of study: The study emphasises the necessity of the continual management of merger goal successes, workload distributions, and administration processes and resources (especially an empowered staff) in the pursuit of stable educational environments in these institutions.Conclusion: Managers of higher education institutions should pursue prudent strategic financial spending and continuously manage the job performance intent and organisational commitment of their staff members. If this is not done, positive perceptions of merger successes could decrease. Such a situation could perpetuate unstable conditions at already affected merged institutions and even cause stable ones to deteriorate.

Students With Disabilities' Learning in South African Higher Education

2021 ◽  
pp. 148-162
Author(s):  
Sibonokuhle Ndlovu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
South African ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
African Higher Education ◽  
Normative Practices ◽  
South African Higher Education ◽  
Professional Degrees ◽  
Systems Of Domination ◽  
Different Levels

This chapter discusses how the normative practices and structures ‘disables' students with disabilities in their learning in the context of the South African higher education. Empirically, examples from the students' lived experienced have been drawn from the previous study that has been conducted in one institution of higher education, which is a privileged space, by virtue of being formerly advantaged. Data combines available literature on normativity and disablement of students with disabilities and empirical data, which were collected through interviews with students with disabilities studying specific professional degrees. Decolonial theory informed deeper understanding of the cause of normative assumptions and consequently disablement of students with disabilities. Literature and lived experiences of students with disabilities reveal that despite efforts of disruption normativity and disablement have continued to be reproduced at different levels because systems of domination are so durable and inventive.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document