Interventions to reduce the exclusion of children with disabilities from education: A Zimbabwean perspective from the field

Dube, Thulani; Ncube, Siphilisiwe B; Mapuvire, Cassius C; Ndlovu, Sibonokuhle; Ncube, Cornelias; Mlotshwa, Simon

doi:10.1080/23311886.2021.1913848

Cited by 11 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…It was revealed that the adverse comments resulted in physically challenged learners developing negative attitude towards Art and Design. The findings are consistent with the results of the study carried out in Zimbabwe by Dube, Ncube, Mapuvire, Ndlovu, Ncube and Mlotshwa, (2021) that deleterious attitudes and stereotypes towards learners with disabilities hinder their access to quality education. However, it came out that some physically challenged learners were confident in Art and Design work despite the negative comments.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Quality Art and Design Education among Physically Challenged Ordinary Level Learners at a Special Education Secondary School in Zimbabwe

Sibanda¹,

Sibanda²

2022

BJMAS

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The twenty-first century Art and Design education for learners with disabilities has to swivel from just being a psychomotor remedy to assessable and skills oriented subject in special schools. This change is in sync with many educationists who view quality Art and Design education as a platform for helping learners to fully develop, including those with disabilities. Through quality Art and Design education, learners with disabilities are not only uplifted educationally but also socially, psychologically, intellectually and physically. Hence, this study assessed the provision of quality Art and Design education among physically challenged Ordinary Level learners in a Bulawayo Central District school in Zimbabwe. Interpretivist paradigm, qualitative approach and case study design were adopted. Thematically analysed data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and document analysis. Purposively chosen sample comprised sixteen physically challenged Ordinary Level Art and Design learners, two Art and Design teachers, two school administrators, one subject inspector, one physio-occupational therapist and three School Development Committee members. Findings reveal that active learning methodologies, low teacher-learner ratio, assessment practices and adaptable environment enhanced quality Art and Design education to physically challenged learners at the school understudy. However, inadequacy of assistive devices, human and instructional resources, and lack of support from other stakeholders compromised the quality of Art and Design education among physically challenged Ordinary Level learners at the school. The study concluded that though the selected school encountered some constraints in providing quality Art and Design education to physically challenged learners there were noticeable good practices adopted.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Quality Art and Design Education among Physically Challenged Ordinary Level Learners at a Special Education Secondary School in Zimbabwe

Sibanda¹,

Sibanda²

2022

BJMAS

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“…In similar fashion, Dube et al (2021) proffer that the social model is conscientised by policy and system factors which focuses on discriminatory policies that segregate the disabled students from participating in education; social and community factors which involve communal stigma and negative attitude of the family towards children with disability hence depriving them of accessing education; school environment which suggests that children with disability face discrimination and stigma, not because of impairment, but the environment, including the one involved in education. Alternatively, the social model focuses on how the barriers that hinder the disabled people's participation can be remedied (Pfeiffer, 2003).…”

Section: Theoretical Perspective On Disabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Listening to Students: The Experiences of Disabled Students of Learning in a Selected University in Zimbabwe

Manungo,

Dohwe

2023

JRIIE

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Disability is one of the most neglected forms of diversity, which usually results in the different forms of discrimination at community level. Nonetheless, more institutions of higher education are making an effort toward creating more inclusive settings for the students and staff. This study examined the lived experiences of the students with disabilities in an institution of higher education in Zimbabwe. Student experiences and disability are the main themes in this study. This study is phenomenological research that was carried out with a questionnaire survey which was conducted among seven participants. This was triangulated by interviews that involved two participants. Overall results showed that physical disability is the most prevalent amongst the students in the institution considered for the study. Moreover, the disabled students faced challenges at home and in their life at university, which affected them psychologically. In addition, while the students were conscious of the existing international and national protocols that promote their welfare, they were not well aware of those embedded within their university policies. Results also reveal that the disabled students suffered socially from stigma and negligence from their able-bodied counterparts and staff. Further, they had limited access to some of the physical structures that lacked ramps and lifts. To promote full participation of the disabled students in academic life, the institution is expected to formulate and implement a binding disability policy that promotes diversity and inclusive education. In addition, infrastructure, especially the old structures need to be refurbished with the disabled in mind.

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“…There continues to be a widespread belief that disability is caused by supernatural forces, such as avenging spirits, witchcraft, or punishment from God or the ancestors (Mukushi et al, 2019;Nkomo et al, 2020). When disabilities are present from birth, mothers are often held responsible (Nkomo et al, 2020), possibly due to the belief that the disability is a punishment for infidelity (Dube et al, 2021). These notions of spiritual or moral "contamination" are often linked with stigma toward children with disabilities and their families (van der Mark and Verrest, 2014), which can contribute to a break-down in communal support (van der Mark and Verrest, 2014;Mukushi et al, 2019) that leaves many parents feeling overwhelmed by their caregiving role and experiencing clinical distress (Dambi et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Building inclusive early learning environments for children with a disability in low-resource settings: Insights into challenges and opportunities from rural Zimbabwe

2023

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The majority of young children with a disability live in low- and middle-income countries, where access to inclusive early learning programs supported by governments or non-government organizations is usually unavailable for the majority of the population, who live in rural areas. This study explored the feasibility of leveraging materials and personnel available within local communities to provide inclusive early learning programs in rural Zimbabwe. Caregivers of young children with some disability were given the opportunity to describe their experienced challenges; ways in which they informally support their children’s early learning; and the types of skills and resources they were able and willing to offer to support the establishment and operation of a more formal group-based inclusive early learning program. Qualitative data were generated from a purposive sample of caregivers of children with diverse impairments (n = 12) in two remote rural districts in Zimbabwe. Themes were identified in the rich qualitative data caregivers provided during individual interviews. The challenges caregivers experienced included the failure of interventions to improve their children’s level of functioning, the lack of access to assistive devices, the perception that the local school would be unable to accommodate their children, and worry about the future. Despite these stressors, caregivers actively supported their children’s self-care, social, moral and cognitive development and sought ways to save the funds that would be needed if their children could attend school. Caregivers were also willing and able to provide diverse forms of support for the establishment and operation of an inclusive early education program: food, funding, teaching and learning materials, and free labor. The insights obtained from these data informed the design of local community-controlled inclusive early education programs and the types of support caregivers and children may need to participate fully in these.

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Interventions to reduce the exclusion of children with disabilities from education: A Zimbabwean perspective from the field

Cited by 11 publications

References 19 publications

Quality Art and Design Education among Physically Challenged Ordinary Level Learners at a Special Education Secondary School in Zimbabwe

Quality Art and Design Education among Physically Challenged Ordinary Level Learners at a Special Education Secondary School in Zimbabwe

Listening to Students: The Experiences of Disabled Students of Learning in a Selected University in Zimbabwe

Building inclusive early learning environments for children with a disability in low-resource settings: Insights into challenges and opportunities from rural Zimbabwe

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