<p>The aims of the study were to: (1) explore the education support services required by three learners who were integrated into the mainstream, (2) determine the level of support required by these learners to function maximally in the mainstream, (3) specifically explore the socioemotional ability of these learners to adjust to the mainstream setting. Three cases were explored within an eco-systemic approach. Each case consisted of a learner with a physical disability, the learner&rsquo / s mother and the educator/s who first taught the learner at the mainstream school. Interviews were conducted with all of the participants and subsequently transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was then conducted to extract themes from the transcriptions.</p>

<p>According to the United Nations, more than half a billion people (about 650 million) worldwide are disabled. Disability can have a vast impact on both the individual and the family. Rehabilitation is therefore a fundamental need for the persons with disability to achieve functional independence and have an improved quality of life. To enhance the effectiveness of rehabilitation, it is important to seek clients&rsquo / perspectives of the rehabilitation services and to incorporate these perspectives into the planning and delivery of rehabilitation services. In areas where rehabilitation services are available in South Africa, minimal research has been done to explore the clients&rsquo / experiences regarding provision of these services. The aim of this study&nbsp / therefore was to explore the persons with physical disabilities&rsquo / experiences of the rehabilitation services they received at community health centres (CHCs) in the Cape Town Metro Health&nbsp / District. Data was collected using a mixed methods design in the form of a sequential exploratory strategy. Qualitative data collection was done using in-depth interviews and this was followed&nbsp / by administration of an interview questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed using results from the in-depth interviews together with information from literature. Ten persons with physical&nbsp / isabilities, who had received rehabilitation services at participated in the in-depth interviews and 95 responded to the interview questionnaire. The interviews were tape-recorded and&nbsp / transcribed verbatim and they were analysed using predetermined themes. The SPSS version 16.0 was used to analyse the quantitative data which was presented in frequencies, medians, quartiles and percentages. The results&nbsp / of the study revealed that the participants experienced problems with getting transport to travel to the community health centres and getting adequate information from the service providers,&nbsp / &nbsp / particularly information regarding disability and support services available for them. Experiences regarding participants&rsquo / involvement in their rehabilitation were generally positive. Generally, the&nbsp / participants reported positive experiences regarding their interaction with service providers and family support and involvement and this study recommends the staff to maintain their standards&nbsp / &nbsp / regarding these two dimensions of rehabilitation. However most of the participants were not concerned about whether the service providers gave them an opportunity to express their preferences or not. The results indicate the need to improve transport services for persons with physical disabilities and to give them more information regarding support services. The service providers&nbsp / should also give the clients more opportunities to get involved in their rehabilitation and educate them about the benefits of them getting involved.</p>

Darbo objektas: fiziškai neįgalių asmenų fizinės aplinkos pritaikymas ir paslaugų prieinamumas. Tiriamieji: fiziškai neįgalūs asmenys. Tyrimo tikslas - išanalizuoti asmenų turinčių fizinę negalę aplinkos pritaikymą viešosios, būsto aplinkos ir paslaugų prieinamumo aspektais. Tikslui įgyvendinti iškelti šie uždaviniai : • Nustatyti su kokiomis problemomis susiduria lengvesnės ir sunkesnės negalios fiziškai neįgalūs asmenys judėdami gyvenamojoje, mokyklos ir darbo aplinkoje. • Išsiaiškinti ir nustatyti kaip pritaikyta būsto aplinka lengvesnės ir sunkesnės negalios asmenims. • nustatyti paslaugų prieinamumą skirtinguose Lietuvos miestuose. Probleminis klausimas: 1. Su kokomis problemomis susiduria sunkesnės ir lengvesnės negalios asmenys judėdami savo kasdieninėje aplinkoje? 2. Su kokiomis paslaugų prieinamumo problemomis susiduria skirtinguose Lietuvos miestuose gyvenantys neįgalieji? Hipotezė: Fiziškai neįgalių asmenų kasdieninė aplinka nepritaikyta jiems laisvai judėti. Rezultatai: Atlikto tyrimo rezultatai sutampa su kitų autorių atliktais tyrimais, susijusiais su aplinkos prieinamumu asmenims su fizine negalia. Savo moksliniuose darbuose atskleidžia Daugėla ir Žukauskas (2005), kad neįgaliesiems juos supanti aplinka sunkiai prieinama, dėl jos nepritaikymo. Pasak ekspertų, Lietuvoje neįgaliesiems nėra pritaikyta dar nė viena aukštoji mokykla (Babinskienė, 2008). Išvados: 1. Nustatyta, neįgaliųjų gyvenamojoje ir darbo / mokyklos aplinkoje atsižvelgiant pagal negalės... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Object: of physically disabled persons in daily environment. Subjects: Persons with physical disability Purpose: analysis of individuals with physical disabilities access to the daily environment. Goals set to the following tasks: 1. Identify the problems faced lighter and more severe disability, physically disabled persons moving residential, school and work environments. 2. Identify and establish house adaptation to more and severe disabled people. 3. Determine the availability of services in different cities of Lithuania. Question arises: First, what problems more and severe disabled people facing through their everyday environment? Second, what are the problems of access to services across different cities of Lithuania for people with different disabilities? Hypothesis: Daily environment is unsuitable for physically disabled people. Results: The survey results coincide with other author’s related studies of environmental access for persons with physical disabilities. This research reveals that disabled people surroundings is not easily accessible for them. According to experts, Lithuanian surroundings is not adapted for disabled people and has no higher education institutions that is fully adapted for them. Babinskienės (2008).Daugėla and Žukauskas (2005), Conclusion’s: First It was found that people with disabilities in residential and work / school environment is facing the following problems: • Individuals with more severe physical disabilities are faced with... [to full text]

According to research (Maher et al. 2007:450), participation in physical activity have health-, psycological, as well as physiological benefits for persons with or without physical disabilities. Participation in physical activity will also lead to improvement of physical fitness. Inactivity is associated with health-related diseases. It is therefore important to improve the physical fitness of athletes with physical disabilities to decrease health risks and to improve their performance in sport. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physical fitness levels of 10 to 17 year old athletes with physical disabilies, in order to compile physical-ability profiles for spesific classes of participation. A second purpose was to compile exercise recommendations for specific classes of participation to enchance physical ability and reduce health-related diseases. A group (N=83) was selected by the coaches of selected schools in the Free State and Central Gauteng Provinces. Different racial groups [White (n=36), Black (n=46), Coloured (n=l)] formed part of this group. From this group, 56 boys and 27 girls completed the Brockport Physical Fitness Test (BPFT) (Winnick & Short, 1999). For the analysis of the data, the Statistica for Windows computer package, 2008, was used. The physical-ability profiles indicated that most of the athletes have poor aerobic capacity, muscle strength and leg-, hip-, and trunk flexibility. It is further recommended to include 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercises in the programme. To increase muscle strength, 8-12 repetions of an intensity level of 50 - 70 % of the 1RM, 1 - 2 sets and 1 - 2 minutes rest between exercises is recommended. To improve leg-, hip-, and trunk flexibility it is further recommended to inclode stretching of 15 - 30 seconds. These recommendations will improve components of health-related physical fitness and functionality as well as decrease risks of developing health-related diseases. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

According to research (Maher et al. 2007:450), participation in physical activity have health-, psycological, as well as physiological benefits for persons with or without physical disabilities. Participation in physical activity will also lead to improvement of physical fitness. Inactivity is associated with health-related diseases. It is therefore important to improve the physical fitness of athletes with physical disabilities to decrease health risks and to improve their performance in sport. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physical fitness levels of 10 to 17 year old athletes with physical disabilies, in order to compile physical-ability profiles for spesific classes of participation. A second purpose was to compile exercise recommendations for specific classes of participation to enchance physical ability and reduce health-related diseases. A group (N=83) was selected by the coaches of selected schools in the Free State and Central Gauteng Provinces. Different racial groups [White (n=36), Black (n=46), Coloured (n=l)] formed part of this group. From this group, 56 boys and 27 girls completed the Brockport Physical Fitness Test (BPFT) (Winnick & Short, 1999). For the analysis of the data, the Statistica for Windows computer package, 2008, was used. The physical-ability profiles indicated that most of the athletes have poor aerobic capacity, muscle strength and leg-, hip-, and trunk flexibility. It is further recommended to include 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercises in the programme. To increase muscle strength, 8-12 repetions of an intensity level of 50 - 70 % of the 1RM, 1 - 2 sets and 1 - 2 minutes rest between exercises is recommended. To improve leg-, hip-, and trunk flexibility it is further recommended to inclode stretching of 15 - 30 seconds. These recommendations will improve components of health-related physical fitness and functionality as well as decrease risks of developing health-related diseases. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Darbo tikslas: įvertinti aukštųjų mokyklų fizinės aplinkos pritaikymą žmonėms su judėjimo negalia. Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Išsiaiškinti judėjimo negalią turinčių žmonių problemas, iškylančias dėl nepritaikytos fizinės aplinkos aukštosiose mokyklose. 2. Palyginti aukštųjų mokyklų fizinės aplinkos pritaikymą žmonėms su judėjimo negalia. 3. Įvertinti ergoterapeuto konsultacijų poreikį, pritaikant fizinę aplinką aukštosiose mokyklose. Tyrimo metodai: remiantis D. Pilipavičiūtės ir G. Ambraso duomenimis sudaryta aukštųjų mokyklų fizinės aplinkos pritaikymo vertinimo rodiklių sistema. Ši sistema atitinka LR ministro įsakymo STR 2.03.01:2001 “Statiniai ir teritorijos. Reikalavimai žmonių su negalia reikmėms” pateiktus normatyvus. Sistemą sudaro 7 vertinamų elementų grupės. Sukurtos 3 anketos. Taip pat buvo atliktas fotografavimas, objektai matuojami metru, statistinė duomenų analizė. Kaune ir Vilniuje išrirti 26 aukštųjų mokyklų pastatai. Tyrimo dalyviai: 24 studentai su judėjimo negalia, 199 įgalūs studentai, 2 darbuotojai. Tyrimo rezultatai atskleidė tai, kad Lietuvoje nė viena iš tirtų aukštųjų mokyklų nėra pritaikyta taip, kad atitiktų visus sistemos normatyvus ir reikalavimus, dėl to studentams su judėjimo negalia kyla sunkumų pilnavertiškai studijuoti. Išvados: 1. Studentai su judėjimo negalia dažniausiai susiduria su šiomis problemomis: nepritaikytos durys, sunku pasiekti jungiklius, kištukus, nepritaikytos auditorijos. 2. Palyginus ištirtų Vilniaus ir Kauno miestų aukštųjų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of research work: to estimate the adaptation of physical environment in higher schools for people with mobility disabilities. Tasks of work: 1. To find out the problems caused by physical environment adaptation for people with mobility disabilities in higher schools. 2. To compare the adaptation of physical environment in higher schools for people with mobility disabilities. 3. To assess the need of occupational therapist's consultations, adapting the physical environment in higher schools. Work methods: according to D. Pilipavičiūtė and G. Ambrasas data, there was composed the higher schools indicators system of physical environment adaptation. The system consists of seven items valued group. There were developed three questionnaires. The objects were photographed, measured with a meter, used the statistical analysis. There were investigated 26 buildings in Kaunas and Vilnius. Study participants: 24 students with mobility disability, 199 igal students, 2 workers. The results revealed that none of studied higher school is not designed in a way that meets all the standards and requirements of the system, because students with mobility impairments have difficulties to fully study. Conclusions: 1. Students with mobility impairments face the following problems: not adapted doors, it is difficult to reach the switches, plugs, not adapted the audiences. 2. Compared physical environment adaptation of higher schools, results showed that better adapted are higher schools of... [to full text]

In gerontology and care research, care is often studied in ways in which older people and people with disabilities are portrayed as dependent on the care of younger or non-disabled people. This thesis, in contrast, studies care provided by people that are both old and have physical disabilities. The thesis explores how care is actualized and experienced by older couples who both have long-term or lifelong disabilities, and investigates the implications of this caring in the couples’ lives. Nine couples between 60 and 84 years old, of whom most had had disabilities for over 20 years, were interviewed as dyads; a process also conjoint interviewing. These interviews were analysed using grounded theory methods of coding and constant comparison. The results of the thesis confirm that it can make sense to be a carer even if one also needs care in everyday life. The analysis considers how conjoint interviewing resulted in relational and performative data about mutual care. The study helps explain the significance helping a partner despite having other sources of formal support and the difficulties of providing this help oneself. Finally, in a study whose participants are growing old together with disabilities, the results also show that the couples could regard themselves as ageing advantageously compared to other groups. Through its focus on caring for and by older people with disabilities, this thesis is at the intersection of social gerontology, care research and disability studies. However, from its interdisciplinary perspective, it can also challenge established discourses in these fields. Specifically, the study problematizes the absence of a care discourse in disability studies and the mostly age- and function-coded ways in which care is discussed in care research. The thesis problematizes dichotomies used in understanding care, such as roles of carers/care receiver and caring/servicing. It also challenges established ways of thinking about successful ageing. Lastly, the thesis contributes to the still growing literature on ageing with a disability. / Gerontologin och omsorgsforskningen beskriver oftast äldre och personer med funktionshinder som mottagare av omsorg från yngre personer eller personer utan funktionshinder. Denna avhandling studerar däremot det omsorgsarbete som utförs av äldre personer med fysiska funktionshinder. Avhandlingen behandlar hur omsorg kan se ut och hur den kan förstås hos par där båda har levt långa liv med fysiska funktionshinder. Den studerar också vad den ömsesidiga omsorgen kan ha för innebörder i parens liv. Nio par mellan 60 och 84 års ålder, där många har haft funktionshinder i 20 år eller mer, intervjuades tillsammans som ett par, i s.k. conjoint interviews (parintervjuer). Analysen gjordes med hjälp av analytiska verktyg från grundad teori. Avhandlingens resultat visar att det går att vara omsorgsgivare trots att man själv har omfattande omsorgsbehov. Analysen beaktar emellertid också hur parintervjuerna kan ha bidragit till dessa berättelser av ömsesidig omsorg. Betydelsen av att kunna fortsätta att ge hjälp till en partner trots tillgång till den formella hjälpapparaten och egna svårigheter att ge hjälp diskuteras. Och till sist, trots att informanterna åldras med sina funktionshinder, visar resultaten på att paren anser sig själva att ha ett gott åldrande, och till och med bättre åldrande än andra grupper. Avhandingen befinner sig i gränslandet mellan socialgerontologi, omsorgs-forskning och funktionshinderforskning. Men genom den interdisciplinära ansatsen har några av de etablerade diskurserna inom dessa fält kunnat utmanas. En omsorgsdiskurs har länge saknats i  funktionshindersammanhang. Där har istället autonomi och oberoende stått i fokus. Avhandlingens resultat bidrar till en problematisering av de underliggande dikotomier som omsorgsbegreppet bygger på, såsom omsorgsgivare/omsorgstagare och omsorg/personlig service. Resultaten problematiserar också etablerade begrepp inom socialgerontologin som successful ageing (framgångsrikt åldrande eller det goda åldrandet). Till sist bidrar avhandlingen till den nu växande forskningen om att åldras med funktionshinder.

Although coaching has become a popular area for research, little is known about coaches of athletes with a disability (Cregan et al., 2007; DePauw & Gavron, 1991, 2005). The purpose of this study was to explore how disability sport coaches learnt to coach and, more specifically, how they learnt through interactions. Recent disability sport research has revealed that coaches work with their athletes to enhance their learning (Cregan et al., 2007; O’Neill & Richardson, 2008); as such, athletes also participated in this study. Data collection included 20 semi-structured interviews and 14 non-participant observation sessions with five coach-athlete dyads. A thematic analysis was conducted (Braun & Clarke, 2006), which revealed that coaches from various backgrounds commonly learnt through informal learning situations, most frequently through interactions with others. It is suggested that organizations nurture these informal situations and offer more disability-specific nonformal and formal situations to enhance coaches’ learning opportunities.

This thesis addresses the influence of the environment on the passing of free time for physically disabled. The theoretical part concentrates on information about a physical disability, analyses and explains the terminology. Further, it focuses on the features, individual functions and factors of free time. In the practical part, I pay attention to qualitative study, mainly interviews regarding the origin of physical disability, its compensation, self-sufficiency, obstacles, which individuals have to overcome, social system and passing of free time. The findings were analysed and organised in tables. The main aim of the thesis was to ascertain the barriers that occur, point out the ones that aggravate and reduce the quality of life of individuals with physical disability in České Budějovice. In the practical part, I established these assumptions: 1. I have assumed that individuals with physical disability very intensively perceive the financial barrier in the framework of spending free time. 2. I have assumed that individuals with gained physical disability who were actively spending their free time, wish to continue. Both of the set assumptions, after detailed research and summarization of the available data were confirmed.

Esta dissertação apresenta contribuições no design de cadeira de rodas como sistema de mobilidade infantil. A proposta visa favorecer as relações interpessoais existentes nos contextos escolares. Em um primeiro momento, a pesquisa obteve dados a respeito de patentes como indicadores de inovação tecnológica. Utilizou-se esse recurso como estratégia de prospecção para a conceituação do Estado da Arte. Ao verificar as informações contidas nas patentes, investigou-se, também, o grau de inventividade existente nos produtos atuais. A ideia foi a de aplicar as melhores práticas no objeto em questão. Posteriormente, efetuou-se um estudo etnográfico para analisar o cotidiano de uma criança com deficiência física, matriculada na Rede Municipal de Educação de Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. Com isso, buscou-se compreender o ambiente a ser trabalhado e coletar informações com familiares e profissionais que lidam com essa criança. Paralelo à realização do estudo, foi utilizado um modelo de referência para a estruturação de um recurso assistivo, praticando intensamente as fases de Planejamento, Projeto Informacional, Projeto Conceitual e Projeto Detalhado, em cooperação com a "voz do usuário" e de seus cuidadores. Ainda na fase conceitual, foi desenvolvida uma solução orientada ao contexto escolar, dedicada às séries iniciais. Como desfecho da presente pesquisa, tem-se o desenvolvimento de uma cadeira de rodas infantil, culminando com a confecção de um protótipo que apresenta diferenciais relacionados à mobilidade e interação. / This dissertation presents some contributions to the design of the wheelchair as a children’s mobility system. The proposal aims at facilitating the interpersonal relations that take place in the school environment. At an early stage, the research obtained data related to patents as technological innovation indicators. This resource was used as a prospecting strategy for creating the State of the Art concept. By checking the information contained in the patents, the level of inventiveness of current products was investigated as well. The idea was to apply the best practices to the object in question. Later, an ethnographic research was conducted in order to analyze the daily life of a child with physical disabilities attending the Municipal Education System of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. Hence, we sought to understand the setting to be worked on and to collect information from relatives and professionals who deal with this child. Along with the development of this study, a model of reference for the structuring of an assistive resource was used, with an intensive practice of the stages of Planning, Information Project, Conceptual Project and Detailed Project, in cooperation with the “user’s voice” and his caretakers. Still at the conceptual stage, a solution oriented towards the school environment was developed, aimed at the early grades of primary school. The outcome of the present research is the development of a pediatric wheelchair, ending in the production of a prototype that features distinguished improvements related to mobility and interaction.