The ability to communicate is essential for the development of children's literacy skills, and raises a significant issue for children having complex communication needs who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems (e.g., communication boards, computerized voice-output systems) in order to substitute or supplement their natural speech. Current research indicates that early literacy experiences, such as interactive storybook reading with literate adults, are critical to children's development of functional language and literacy skills. However, research contends that children with complex communication needs are not naturally provided with supportive storybook reading experiences by their parents. In particular, one group of children who have been identified in the literature as being vulnerable to poor literacy outcomes is children of African American descent. To address this issue, the effects of an evidence-based instructional program on the communicative patterns of African American children using AAC during interactive book-reading activities were investigated. The study involved two parent-child dyads from African American backgrounds. The parents were taught to implement an interaction strategy that involved the use of (a) expectant delay, (b) modeling of AAC system use, (c) open-ended question asking, and (d) increased responsivity to the children's communicative attempts. Results demonstrated that the parents in both dyads reached criterion for implementation of the targeted interaction strategy, and they evidenced generalized and long-term use of this strategy. In addition, the children demonstrated increases in communicative turns taken and novel semantic concepts expressed. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Litigation involving the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is not an uncommon phenomenon in today's world. An issue involving the ADA that has received a great deal of attention by the courts in recent years concerns administrative notice/exhaustion. Specifically, a great debate has raged as to whether or not an aggrieved party seeking to file a private suit under Title III of the ADA must first exhaust available state or local administrative remedies or otherwise give notice to state or local administrative agencies having authority to remedy or grant relief from discriminatory practices. Aggrieved parties derive their ability to file private actions against ADA violators through the AD A's incorporation of§ 2000a-3(a) (located in the Civil Rights Act of 1964). While the ADA does not directly require that administrative notice be a prerequisite to filing a private action pursuant to § 2000a-3(a), some courts have argued that administrative notice/exhaustion is required by § 2000a-3( c ), which is located just a few paragraphs below§ 2000a-3(a), when suing in response to ADA violations. Other courts have argued that administrative notice/exhaustion is required on different grounds. Still, there are other courts that affirm that neither administrative notice nor exhaustion is required. This dynamic issue has created a virtual even division among the courts. This thesis examines the cases and arguments against the requirement of administrative notice/exhaustion, the cases and arguments in support of administrative notice/exhaustion, and provides a synopsis of what the law, promulgated by the legislature, intended to require and how this issue could be more appropriately adjudicated by the judiciary in future cases. A great deal of consideration and contemplation is given to the purpose of the ADA and how this purpose can be best effectuated when adjudicating the administrative involvement controversy.

Thesis (MCur)- -University of Stellenbosch, 2011 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It generally is a problem for persons with disabilities to have barrier free access to buildings, which is their constitutional right. It is however, not only the physical facility that causes barriers for persons with disabilities but also the attitudes of the able-bodied persons. The aim of the study was to explore what opinions the nurses and persons with disabilities held in two healthcare settings in Kimberley with reference to the nursing care provided to persons with disabilities. To the researcher, it was important to gather the opinions of the nursing staff on how they saw persons with disabilities, but also to hear what they thought the problem areas in caring for persons with disabilities were. On the other hand, it was equally important to understand the persons with disabilities’ perceptions of the hospitals, nursing and what they saw as solutions to the problems. The objectives of the study were: • To determine what the opinions and knowledge of nurses working in two healthcare services in Kimberley are regarding the nursing management of persons with disabilities. • To determine what the opinions of persons with disabilities are in healthcare settings in Kimberley, with reference to the nursing care provided for persons with disabilities. Data was collected in two phases namely Phase 1 amongst the nursing staff in the private and state hospital in Kimberley and Phase 2 amongst the persons with disabilities. A list of staff members which was obtained from the Human Resource office in both the private and state hospitals were sent to the statistician Prof Kidd and who prepared a randomised list which was used for the participants in the study. The same process was followed when a list of all the people who are members of the Association for Persons with Disabilities (APD) and with the help of the statistician a randomised list was compiled from which the participants in the study were chosen. The design of this research is an explorative, descriptive non-experimental study with a quantitative approach, utilizing a structured questionnaire with closed and open ended questions. In this study it was found that the nursing staff was aware of the problems and barriers persons with disabilities encounter. The nurses, however, were aware of their own shortcomings. For example, the nurses identified the lack of training to equip them to assist the persons with disabilities during nursing care, while persons with disabilities also saw this as a problem. By addressing this shortcoming, nurses would be able to provide more holistic care. Recommendations were made based on the findings regarding the facility, perceptions, caregivers, procedures, doctors and the training of the nurses. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Om toegang te hê tot geboue wat hulle grondwetlike reg is, is vir die meeste mense met gestremdhede ‘n voortdurende stryd. Dit is egter dikwels nie net die fisiese ontoeganklikheid van die geboue wat dit vir die persone met gestremdhede onmoontlik maak om ‘n normale lewe te lei nie, maar die houding van verpleegpersoneel wat dikwels meer ontoeganklik is as die toegang tot die geboue. Die doel van die studie was om te bepaal wat die opinies die verpleegpersoneel sowel as persone met gestremdhede het ivm gesondheidsorg in die privaat en staatshospitale in Kimberley Dit was vir die navorser belangrik om te bepaal hoe die verpleegpersoneel mense met gestremdhede sien, maar ook om hulle opinies te hoor ivm die probleme wat hulle ondervind sowel as moontlike oplossings daarvoor. Aan die ander kant wou die navorser ook weet wat die opinie van mense met gestremdhede is van die hospitale wat hulle besoek. Doelwitte van die studie was: • Om die kennis van verpleegpersoneel in die staat sowel as privaathospitale te bepaal ivm die versorging van persone met gestremdhede.. • .Om die opinies van persone met gestremdhede te bepaal tov die verpleegsorg in die staat sowel as privaathospitale in Kimbelrey. Data is in twee fases versamel. In Fase 1 was die verpleegpersoneel in beide die staat sowel as die privaathospitaal ingesluit en in Fase 2 was die deelname van die persone met gestremdhede verkry. Nadat ‘n personeellys van die Menlike hullpbronafdeling van beide hospitale verkry is, is dit aan die statistikus, Prof Kidd gestuur is vir steekproefneming. .Die persone met gestremdhede is genader nadat ‘n lys van die Assosiasie vir persone met gestremdheide (APD) verkry is. Die lys is deur die statistikus herrangskik,en die personeel en persone met gestremdhede is gevra om deel te neem aan die studie na aanleiding van die orde op die lys, nadat hulle ingligting ontvang het en toestemming geteken het vir deelname aan die studie. Die studie is eksploratief, beskrywend en nie-eksperimenteel van aard met ‘n kwantitatiewe benadering. Gestruktureerde vraelyse wat oop en geslote –einde vrae bevat het, is gebruik.. In die studie is bevind dat die verpleegpersoneel bewus was van die leemtes in die versorging van persone met gestremdhede. Een van die leemtes wat geïdentifiseer is, was dat verpleegsters nie formele opleiding ontvang in die versorging van persone met gestremdhede nie. Die persone met gestremdhede het ook hierdie leemte identifiseer. Deur hierdie leemte aan te spreek behoort verpleegpersoneel ‘n meer holistiese versorging aan persone met gestremdhede te lewer. Aanbevelings wat gemaak is, is gebasseer op die bevindinge in die studie en sluit in: fasiliteitt, persepsies, versorgers, prosedures, dokters en die opleiding van verpleegsters.

Thesis (M Sport Sc (Sport Science))--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / Talent identification has been defined as the process by which children are measured on a number of physical and performance variables that are perceived to be a requisite for success within a given sport (Abbott & Collins, 2002:158). One important element in talent identification testing is the capacity to interpret scores. This requires the development of relevant norms for the populations groups who will be involved. The purpose of this study was to generate norms for the interpretation of scores earned by children with disabilities on a basic talent identification screening test battery. The study was focused only on children with intellectual impairments, children with hearing impairments and children with visual impairments. The Talent Search test battery as prescribed by DISSA (Disability Sport South Africa, 2002) found in their screening manual for basic sporting ability of persons with disabilities was used to assess subjects on performance variables. This included body height, sitting height, arm span, body mass, eye-hand coordination, sound localization and eye- hand coordination (for the those with VI), upper body power, leg power, agility, running speed and aerobic fitness (cardiovascular endurance). The group of 140 subjects included 49 children with intellectual impairments (N=27 males and N=22 females), 58 children with hearing impairments (N=35 males and N=23 females) and 33 children with a visual impairment of which 11 (N=7 males and N=4 females) needed to run with a guide and 22 (N=17 males and N=5 females) where independent runners. The descriptive data was processed to produce percentile tables. One problem area was found with testing the eye-hand coordination of children with intellectual impairment, where more than 50% of the children were not able to obtain a score at all. It was also found that some children with hearing impairments had slow running times for the agility run test item, which led to the conclusion that vestibular etiology must be identified prior to the interpretation of test scores.

Thesis (MHumanRehabSt)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Background In the past, a lack of policy guidelines in the area of rehabilitation often resulted in underdeveloped or no rehabilitation services in many areas. This led to the development of The South African National Rehabilitation Policy (NRP) which was finalised in 2000. This policy is guided by the principles of development, empowerment and the social integration of persons with disabilities. It aims to provide improved access to rehabilitation services for all and forms part of a strategy to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities. South Africa ratified the United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2001. The UNCRPD is an international rights based document and focuses on equalisation of opportunities for people with disabilities and their inclusion in development. Aim The aim of thestudy was to describe and analyse the organizational framework of rehabilitation services at the Gugulethu Community Health Centre (CHC) in Cape Town and to determine if the framework used complied with the objectives of the National Rehabilitation Policy. Method This was a case study that made use of both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. The Kaplan framework, the objectives of the NRP and the five relevant articles of the UNCRPD were used to design three questionnaires for data collection. The first questionnaire was for service providers and answered by seven participants. The second questionnaire was completed by the Facility Manager of Gugulethu CHC and the third questionnaire was answered by the managers of 2 purposively sampled NGOs in Gugulethu. Qualitative data was collected from interviews held with three of the service providers and the facility manager as well as from two focus groups held with service users. Results The results of the study showed that there was some coherence between the rehabilitation services provided and the objectives of the NRP such as good access to the service for clients coming to the Centre for rehabilitation and adequate resources to provide assistive devices with. However, in other areas there was little or no adherence. Limited evidence of intersectoral collaboration was found. There was no evidence of the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the planning, implementation and managing of rehabilitation services. Similarly services were not monitored and evaluated in a constructive way and while the therapists did engage in skills development activities the suitability of the courses attended for their role is questioned. Conclusion The findings showed a facility based curative rehabilitation service that was accessible for clients who came to the facility, but did not expand to provide community based rehabilitation. Thus it was concluded that the organisation in its current form lacked the ability to effectively address the needs of the community that it served. At Gugulethu Community Health Centre rehabilitation services need to be planned according to community based rehabilitation strategies by the manager, the service providers and the community. Only when implementation of the NRP and UNCRPD takes place will the benefits become tangible to the entire community. Key Words Rehabilitation, Disability, National Rehabilitation Policy, UNCRPD, Organisational capacity. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond In die verlede het ‘n gebrekaanbeleidsriglyne in die rehabilitasievelddikwelsgelei tot onderontwikkelde of geenrehabilitasiedienste in baiegebiede. Die gevolghiervan was die ontwikkeling van dieSuidAfrikaanseNasionaleRehabilitasieBeleid (NRB) wat in 2000 gefinaliseer is. Die fokusvan hierdiebeleid is ontwikkeling, bemagtiging en die sosialeintegrasie van persone met gestremdhede. Die doel van die NRB is omtoeganklikheid van rehabilitasiediensteviralmalteverbeter en ditvormdeel van die strategieom die lewensgehalte van persone met gestremdhede to verbeter. SuidAfrika het die VerenigdeNasies se Konvensievir die Regte van Persone met Gestremdhede in 2001 bekragtig. HierdieKonvensie is ‘n internasionaleregsgebaseerdedokument and fokus opgelykeregtevirpersone met gestremdhede en hulinsluiting in ontwikkeling. Doelstelling Die doel van die studiewas om die organisatorieseraamwerk van die rehabilitasiedienste by die GugulethuGemeenskapsGesondheidssentrum in Kaapstadtebeskryf enteontleed, ten eindevastestel of die raamwerk, in ooreenstemming is met die doelwitte van die NasionaleRehabilitasieBeleid. Metode `n Gevallestudie is gedoen. Data is deurmiddel van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewemetodesingesamel. Die Kaplanraamwerk, doelwitte van die NasionaleRehabilitasieBeleid en toepaslike 5 artikels van die VerenigdeNasie se Konvensievir die Regte van Persone met Gestremdehede is gebruikomdrievraelysteteontwerp. Die eerstevraelys was virdiensverskaffers en sewedeelnemers het ditbeantwoord. Die tweedevraelys is deur die Fasiliteitsbestuurder van GuguletuGemeenskapsGesondheidssentrumbeantwoord en die derdevraelysdeur twee bestuurders van twee doelbewustegekoseNie-staatsOrganisasies in Guguletu. Onderhoude is met drie van die diensverskaffers en die fasiliteitsbestuurdergebruikomkwalitatiewe data in tesamelsowel as twee fokusgroepe met diensverbruikers.Resultate Die resultate van die studietoondatdaarwel ‘n mate van belyningtussenrehabilitasiedienste by die studiesentrum en die doelwitte van die NasionaleRehabilitasieBeleid is. Ditsluit in goeietoeganklikheidna die diensvirklientewat die sentrumbesoekvirbehandeling en voldoendebronneomhulpmiddelstevoorsien.In andergebiede was daaregter min of geenbelyningnie. Daar is min bewyse van intersektoralesamewerking en geenbewyse van die insluiting van persone met gestremdhede in die beplanning, implementering en bestuur van die rehabilitasiedienstenie. Dienste is nie in ‘n opbouendemaniergemonitor of geevalueernie en terwyl die terapeutewelaanontwikklingsprogrammedeelgeneem het, kan die toepaslikheid van die kursussebevraagteken word. Gevolgtrekking Die bevindingswys op ‘n kuratiewerehabilitasiedienswattoeganklik is virklientewatna die sentrum toe kom. Daar word egterniegemeenskapsbaseerderehabilitasieverskafnie.Dus, is die gevolgtrekkingdat die organisasie in syhuidigevormnie die vermoe het om die behoeftes van die gemeenskapwatditdien, effektiefaantespreeknie.Dierehabilitasiedienste by GuguletuGemeenskapssentrummoetbeplan word volgensgemeenskapsgebaseerderehabilitasiestrategiee, deur die bestuurder, diensverskaffers en die gemeenskap. Eerswanneer die NasionaleRehabilitasieBeleid en die VerenigdeNasie se Konvensievir die Regte van Persone met Gestremdhedetoegepas word sal die helegemeenskapbaatvind by rehabilitasie.

Thesis (M Human RehabSt)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Rehabilitation services, mainly rendered by therapists employed by the Department of Health, forms a critical part of the Primary Health Care (PHC) package of care. Different policies, within the Department of Health (DOH), provide guidance on rehabilitation service delivery. However, implementation of these policies remains a challenge. The current study aimed to describe and analyse the organisational capacity of rehabilitation services at the study site and to assess how congruent the rehabilitation service at the study site was with existing rehabilitation policy. A descriptive methodology was applied making use of both quantitative and qualitative methods in analyzing the organisational capacity of this study site and the alignment of rehabilitation services offered, with the National Rehabilitation Policy (NRP). The study used the Kaplan framework, the objectives of the NRP and specific selected articles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) to develop indicators to be used for the description and analysis of the organisational capacity of the rehabilitation services at TC Newman Community Day Centre. Questionnaires based on seven objectives from the NRP were developed to collect quantitative data from five service providers, the facility manager of TC Newman CDC and the managers of two Non- Governmental Organisations (NGO) working in the drainage site. Face to face, audio recorded, semi- structured interviews were used to collect qualitative data from the five service providers. A folder audit and document review was used to enhance quantitative findings. After analysis of the data, I still felt the need for additional information and thus developed an open ended questionnaire for participants to complete. Barriers (e.g. defaulting of clients, a lack of standard documentation, poor monitoring and evaluation) and facilitators (e.g. outreach and support, competent staff and multi-disciplinary team) were identified in implementing the NRP. Participants highlighted the importance of accessing rehabilitation services with a focus on the outreach to peripheral clinics and funded NGO’s. Intersectoral collaboration is evident, but mainly with funded NGO’s. A lack of standardised documentation, inadequate monitoring and evaluation systems and uniformed documentation were some of the challenges identified by participants. The absence of participation by persons with disabilities was noted by all participants. With reference to the organisational capacity, the participants had a good understanding of rehabilitation within the PHC context. Participants felt confident in delivering rehabilitation services and were able to identify shortcomings in service delivery. It is concluded that rehabilitation services are not delivered exactly in accordance with the objectives of the NRP. However the organisation demonstrated capacity to deliver rehabilitation services at PHC level, but there is still a need to enhance service delivery on community based level. The results of this study gave me as a manager and implementer of health policy in the District Health System the opportunity to gain deeper insight as to how rehabilitation services are currently rendered. Results from the study highlighted how coherent rehabilitation service delivery is with current policy in health and the capacity of the organisation to deliver rehabilitation services. This gave me the opportunity to adjust and review current rehabilitation service delivery and implement changes, as the study progressed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Rehabilitasie word hoofsaaklik deur terapeute in die departement van gesondheid gelewer binne fasiliteite en vorm ‘n belangrike deel van die Primêre Gesondheid Sorg dienste (PGS). Daar is verskillende beleid binne die Departement van Gesondheid beskikbaar, wat rehabilitasie definieer. Ten spyte van beleid, bly die implimentering van hierdie beleide ‘n uitdaging. Hierdie studie het ontstaan om the kapasiteit van die organisasie te beskryf, om rehabilitasie dienste te implimenteer en ook te bepaal hoe hierdie dienste ooreenstem met die Nasionale Rehabilitasie Beleid (NRB). ‘n Beskrywende metodologie was gebruik, wat uit ‘n kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe deel bestaan het. ‘n Vraelys is ontwikkel op grond van die 7 doelwitte beskryf binne die NRB. Dit is gebruik vir die versameling van kwantitatiewe data, by vyf diensversakffers, `n gesondheidsbestuurder en die bestuurders van twee nieregerings organisasies. Kwalitatiewe data is verkry deur onderhoude met die vyf diensverskaffers. ‘n Oudit van pasiënt lêers en die evaluering van dokumente het kwantitatiewe data versterk. Na die analisering van data en die behoefte vir addisionele inligting, is ‘n oop-end vraelys ontwikkel en versprei na deelnemers om te voltooi. Die studie het die organisatoriese kapasiteit van die organisasie ontleed deur gebruik te maak van Kaplan se raamwerk vir organisasie kapasiteit en die doelwitte van die NRB, asook sekere geselekteerde artikels uit die “United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” UNCRPD. Deelnemers het belangrikheid van toegang tot rehabilitasie dienste bevestig, met ‘n fokus op uitreik na perifêre klinieke in die sub distrik en befondse Nie-Regerings Organisasies (NRO). Intersektorale skakeling was beskryf, maar beperk tot befondse NRO’s. Verskillende uitdagings soos bv. gestandardiseerde dokumentasie, onvoldoende monitering en evalueringssisteme en die dokumentering van inligting was geïdentifiseer. Die afwesigheid van persone met gestremdhede en hulle deelname by terapie was genoem deur deelnemers. Verskillende uitdagings asook fasiliteerders was geïdentifiseer deur deelnemers t.o.v die implementering van bestaande beleid.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / abstract / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning

The purpose of this study was to examine the possible effects and relationships among life change events and acceptance of disability, social assets, and health status. The subjects of this study were 80 physically disabled college students at The University of Arizona, Pima Community College, and Arizona State University. The subjects were administered the College Schedule of Recent Experience, a Social Assets Scale (SA), the Acceptance of Disability Scale (AD), and a health index. Completion of the health index form was conducted through personal interview. The data were analyzed by means of several statistical procedures. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to examine relationships among the variables. Analyses of variance were conducted to test for significant differences in health outcome between low and high scoring students in life change, acceptance of disability and social assets. Stepwise multiple regressions were carried out to examine the predictive ability of the variables for AD and health outcome. T-tests of means were used to explore differences between students with acquired disabilities and students who were congenitally disabled. In general, the results of the study indicate that life change relates positively to health outcome of physically disabled students. Neither acceptance of disability nor social assets relates strongly with health outcome measures.

Thesis (MScMedSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This was an investigation into the needs of people with physical disabilities in the district of Butterworth, and their accessibility to available resources, conducted with the aim of improving service delivery in the area. As a physiotherapist the researcher has always been in close contact with people with physical disabilities, and could see the problems they had. The researcher then embarked on conducting this study with the aim of helping them. The study was conducted in three areas, a rural area called Zangwa Administrative Area, Bika, a township, and Skiti, an informal settlement. The research methodology used was qualitative research. Participants in this research included people with physical disabilities, caregivers of people with physical disabilities, and service providers dealing with people with physical disabilities in the district of Butterworth. Methods of data collection used were focus group interviews for people with physical disabilities and caregivers, and questionnaires for service providers. The reason why service providers were given questionnaires, and not interviewed in focus groups, was that they were from different government departments and it was not possible for them to be part of a focus group due to the commitments they had. Questions in the questionnaires and in the interview schedules used in the focus group interviews were similar to each other, and were open ended. A total of 24 people with physical disabilities were recruited to take part in the focus group interviews in identified locations. Nine caregivers of people with physical disabilities, drawn from two of the above locations participated in this study. Focus group interviews were tape recorded, with the informed consents of the participants. The response rate to the questionnaires was 81%: 13 of the 16 service providers returned completed forms. Data analysis was done through a process of listening to the tapes, together with other students, to ensure the trustworthiness of the data, taking detailed notes, translating the interviews from Xhosa to English, coding the data and putting them into categories, with similar categories building up into themes. In the case of the questionnaires, similar responses were grouped together, and those showing the same responses from participants were prioritised. The results of the research indicated that the primary needs of people with physical disabilities were housing, employment, skills‟ development - emphasising training in those skills which could bring them an income - assistance with income generating projects, suitable public transport, accessibility of buildings and facilities, driving schools catering for people with physical disabilities, and Primary Health Care. They needed Primary Health Care to not only address their basic health needs, but to include preventative care, the promotion of effective care, curative and rehabilitative care. At a personal level they required disability grants, caregivers, intimate relationships and marriage. While caregivers placed greater emphasis on assistive devices and Day Care Centres to give them some respite time, service providers emphasised on education for children with disabilities, which neither people with physical disabilities nor caregivers had mentioned. The service providers also said nothing about the need for caregivers and housing. These disparities in the needs mentioned by these three groups of participants showed that needs that may seem important to professionals and other service providers, may not be important to people with disabilities, therefore it is important to consult with the consumers first, before planning for service delivery. It was clear that services were not easily accessible, due to transport and financial problems, as travelling for people with physical disabilities meant additional expenses in terms of hiring special vehicles. Another barrier to accessing resources was lack of knowledge about the availability of those resources, and how they could be accessed. On the basis of this study, recommendations have been made to relevant service providers for the planning and improvement of service delivery. These include more accessible buildings, good roads, and the appointment of suitable individuals to fill vacant posts in different government departments so as to be able to reach all people with physical disabilities in the district of Butterworth. Finally, the researcher emphasizes the need for outreach programmes to raise awareness about available services. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie ondersoek ten opsigte van die behoeftes van mense met fisiese gestremdhede in die Butterworth distrik en hul toegang tot die beskikbare hulpbronne is gedoen met die oog daarop om dienslewering in die omgewing te verbeter. Die navorser het die studie in drie areas naamlik: Zangwa Administratiewe Area,`n landelike gebied, Bika, „n dorp en Skiti, „n informele nedersetting gedoen. Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes is gebruik. Studie deelnemers het bestaan uit mense met fisiese gestremdhede, versorgers van mense met fisiese gestremdhede en diensverskaffers aan mense met fisiese gestremdhede in die Butterworth distrik. Fokus groep besprekings met mense met fisiese gestremdhede en hulle versorgers is gebruik om data in te samel. Voorts is data verkry vanaf vraelyste wat deur diensverskaffers voltooi is. Vier en twintig persone met fisiese gestremdhede, uit bogenoemde drie areas, is geselekteer om aan die fokusgroep besprekings deel te neem. Nege versorgers van persone met fisiese gestremdhede, uit twee van bogedoemde areas, het ook aan die studie deelgeneem. Fokusgroep besprekings is op band opgeneem, met die toestemming van die deelnemers. Dertien van die sestien diensverskaffers (81%) het voltooide vraelyste ingehandig. Volgens die resultate het persone met fisiese gestremdhede `n behoefte aan behuising, werk, vaardigheidsontwikkeling, projekte wat inkomste genereer, geskikte openbare vervoer, toegang tot geboue en fasiliteite, bestuurskole wat voorsiening maak vir mense met fisiese gestremdhede en primêre gesondheidsorg. Die volgende persoonlike behoeftes is geidentifiseer: ongeskiktheidstoelae, versorgers, intieme verhoudings en huwelike. Die versorgers het meer klem geplaas op hulpmiddels en dagsorgsentrums. Die behoefte aan dagsorgsentrums kan aanduidend wees daarvan dat versorgings verligting van die sorg las nodig het.. Diensverskaffers het op hulle beurt klem gelê op `n behoefgte aan onderwys vir kinders met gestremdhede. Dit is nie deur of persone met fisiese gestremdhede of versorgers genoem nie. Die diensverskaffers het niks oor versorgers gesê nie. Die verskille tussen die behoeftes wat deur die drie groepe deelnemers uitgelig is dui daarop dat behoeftes wat as belangrik voorkom vir proffesionele persone en ander diensverskaffers nie noodwendig belangrik is vir mense met gestremdhede nie. Dit is dus belangrik om eers die klient te raadpleeg voordat dienslewering beplan word. Vervoer en finansiele probleme het daartoe gelei dat dienste ontoeganklik was. Vervoer vir mense met fisiese gestremdhede bring addisionele onkostes mee omdat `n spesiale voertuig gehuur moet word. „n Verdere struikelblok met betrekking tot toegang tot hulpbronne was `n gebrek aan kennis oor die beskikbaarheid van hulpbronne in die studie area. Aanbevelings na aanleiding van die studie sluit in: groter toeganklikheid tot geboue, goeie paaie en die aanstelling van geskikte individue om vakante poste in die verskillende staatsdepartemente te vul om sodoende die mense met fisiese gestremdhede in die Butterworth distrik te bedien. Ten slotte, wil die navorser klem lê op die behoefte aan uitreikprogramme om mense bewus te maak van beskikbare dienste.