Kinds of Support Offered by the Disability Unit to Students with Disabilities at Institutions of Higher Learning in South Africa: A Case Study of the University of Venda

Abstract

More and more tertiary institutions are now focusing on the mainstreaming and inclusion of students with disabilities. Some higher education institutions (HEIs) in South Africa have established so-called Disability Units (DUs) to offer specialised services to students with disabilities, to facilitate access and integration of these students at their institutions. For many students with disabilities, the DU services are the first point of contact. These units work to facilitate access and ensure participation in the university for students with disabilities. This involves making "reasonable adjustments" and providing support for students with disabilities to ensure full participation and equal opportunities. Students with disabilities who will need support and alternative arrangements range from students with hearing impairments, visual impairments, physical impairments, health impairments (such as chronic illness), learning impairments, or psychiatric disabilities. Although universities, both locally and internationally, may systematise support in slightly different ways, many universities follow similar trends to accommodate and support students with specific disabilities as per their needs. Appropriate support systems in teaching and learning are vital in ensuring equal access for students with disabilities. The commitment of the institution to facilitating support and participation depends on its willingness to change admission, curricular and assessment procedures, as well as physical accessibility of the institution. We have seen from the literature that support for students with disabilities varies from country to country (Lane, 2017; Mantsha, 2016). We followed a qualitative research approach and adopted a case study research design to understand the phenomenon of student support better. We used classroom observations, document analysis and focus group interviews to collect data. Ten students with disabilities participated in the study. The study found that the DU of the university played an important role in supporting their studies. However, the students did not receive adequate additional support from their lecturers such as tutorials and differentiation of the curriculum. Shortage of learning materials specifically adapted for students with disabilities was mentioned as a weakness. The study recommends that lecturers should be trained on how to teach and support students with disabilities as this will enhance the quality of teaching and learning for these students. Other recommendations include that the DU should establish an online interactive portal for its registered students to increase communication between students and the university.

Disability Sensitivity and Sensibility: A Nondisabled Lecturer Perspective on Inclusive Lecturing Opportunities

“…The absence of lecturing practices which took students with disabilities into account were similar to what students shared as their experiences in Mbuvha's (2019) study. Lecture planning and delivery processes under the ERTL circumstances took place without interrogating whether they were disability inclusive.…”

“…This exemplified a lack of lecturer preparedness and ignorance concerning disability, also found amongst lecturers by Mutanga and Walker (2017). Students in Mbuvha's (2019) study expressed inaccessibility of learning due to a lack of such accommodations by lecturers. The failure to apply UDL principles meant that barriers to potential learning were present.…”

“…Accessibility for students with disabilities was not prioritised at the time. Mbuvha's (2019) study pointed to this lack of support from lecturers as well. YouTube videos and prerecorded videos had no additional features such as captions, subtitles or video transcripts.…”

“…However, there is limited literature on the reflections of the lecturers who might be creating disabling situations and their perspectives on how they facilitate disabling experiences. In a study on the forms of support offered to students with disabilities by the Disability Unit at the University of Venda, an HDI, Mbuvha (2019) found that students did not get sufficient additional support from lecturers such as tutorials, curriculum differentiation and extra learning materials adapted for their needs. The study highlighted lecturer behaviours that hinder inclusivity.…”

Community Support for Persons with Disabilities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review

“…Topics covered in this literature included barriers to participation [ 7 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ], unmet needs for assistance [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ], human support and peer support [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ], and documentation of specific programmes [ 26 , 29 , 30 , 31 ].…”