Barriers to research access during COVID-19: Interviewing students with disabilities in South African higher education

Abstract

Carrying out research using face-to-face interviews with students with disabilities has been most difficult in higher education during COVID-19 pandemic. This paper seeks to answer the question: what are the barriers confronted by researchers in conducting interview research with students with disabilities in South African higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic? Data were collected by analysing and synthesising South African and international literature available in Research Gate, ERIC, JSTOR, Sabinet, ProQuest, books, journal articles, and online resources. With Critical Disability Theory illuminating the study, the major finding was that there are communication barriers when interviewing students with disabilities. The nature of the communication challenges varies from one category of disability to the other and have been exacerbated during COVID-19, thus limiting the voice of those students in research which could contribute to improvement in their learning.

Academics with disabilities during transformation to a New African University in South Africa

“…This means that social, physical, academic and institutional environments are still restricted for some social groups, more particularly the previously disadvantaged, including those with disabilities. Literature has revealed that students with disabilities are confronted by challenges in learning (Mutanga, 2017;Ntombela, 2020;Ndlovu, 2020c), when doing fieldwork , in research engagement (Ndlovu, 2022) and limited by infrastructure (Hall & Belch, 2000;Fitchett, 2015). As already indicated, teaching and learning and research are practices that are a continuum and involve both students and academics.…”

“…For example, academics with totally hearing impairment who use sign language have more challenges than Sibonokuhle Ndlovu those with the same impairment at a mild level who may use oral language, can sign-or lip read. The literature revealed that it is students with total loss of hearing who experience greater communication challenges when conducting research with participants who have a hearing sense (Ndlovu, 2022). In addition, academics with disabilities from disadvantaged backgrounds confront more challenges in doing research or community engagement because of lack of adequate resources.…”