Thesis (MScMedSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Medical Science. (rehabilitation) at the University of Stellenbosch / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: For physically disabled learners to achieve successful participation in sport requires the synergistic interaction of many diverse factors. The Limpopo province of South Africa produces fewer physically disabled athletes at the junior, senior and elite levels than any other province in South Africa. This study identifies and examines the key aspects that affected the development of physically disabled athletes in the Limpopo province in 2006/2007. Factors that both facilitate or inhibit the development of physically disabled athletes in the province are identified and discussed. This highlights aspects that need to be addressed in seeking to bridge the gap between current deficiencies and an optimised future for participants in disabled sport in Limpopo province. The study is descriptive, using a case-study design as part of a situational analysis. Physically disabled athletes from one school were selected using a convenience sample and key informants were selected through purposive sampling. Questionnaires were completed by ten physically disabled athletes as well as by staff involved in their athletic development. Interviews were also conducted among key informants from the sport and education sectors. The questionnaires were analysed quantitatively and the interviews underwent qualitative content analysis. The findings indicated that there are seven critical areas/key factors influencing the development of physically disabled athletes in Limpopo province. These are: 1. Support systems; 2. Sports participation; 3. Attitudinal facilitators and barriers; 4. Environmental accessibility; 5. Resources; 6. Education and training; 7. Politics. The above elements impacting on the development of physically disabled athletes in Limpopo province are compared with the five key areas of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Development Model. It was found that numerous challenges exist in Limpopo, namely: a lack of sufficient humanresource capacity, funding, sponsorships and the necessary financial resources for adequate infrastructure sustainability and support services. Therefore, in order for physically disabled athletes in Limpopo province to be successfully developed within the framework of the IPC Development Model, the challenges and key factors/critical areas identified by this study need to be addressed. The following recommendations were made following the outcomes of the study: 1. Establish a discussion forum for all stakeholders; 2. Take steps to elevate the status of sport for physically disabled athletes in Limpopo province; 3. Improve the co-operation between sports federations, government departments and disabled people’s organisations Limpopo province; 4. Educate stakeholders; 5. Improve coaching expertise and knowledge; 6. Have specialist rehabilitation expertise in the LSEN schools; 7. Monitor and evaluate sports programmes. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die deelname van fisiek-gestremde leerders aan sport het verskeie aspekte wat wedersyds verband hou. Die interaksie van hierdie aspekte is noodsaaklik om ‘n suksesvolle uitkoms te verseker. Hierdie tesis identifiseer en ondersoek die sleutelaspekte wat ‘n impak het op die ontwikkeling van fisiek-gestremde atlete in die Limpopo provinsie van Suid-Afrika in 2006/2007. Dit is bekend dat hierdie provinsie heelwat minder fisiek-gestremde atlete op junior, senior en elite vlak lewer as enige ander provinsie in die land Faktore wat hierdie studiegroep se ontwikkeling bevorder, sowel as die faktore wat dit benadeel,, word in hierdie tesis geïdentifiseer en bespreek. Dié bespreking is van nut vir die identifisering van huidige probleemareas, wat spesifieke aandag sal verg om die vooruitsigte vir gestremde atlete in die provinsie te verbeter. Die tesis is beskrywend van aard en maak gebruik van ’n gevallestudieformaat en omstandigheidsontleding. ’n Gerieflikheidsteekproef van fisiek-gestremde atlete is by een skool gekies terwyl ’n versameling van sleutel inligtingsbronne doelgerig geïdentifiseer is. Vraelyste is deur tien fisiek-gestremde atlete, sowel as personeellede betrokke by hulle atletiese ontwikkeling, voltooi. Onderhoude is ook gevoer met sleutelinformante in die Sporten Onderwyssektore. Die vraelyste is kwantitatief ontleed met die hulp van Professor Nel van die Departement Statistiek aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch, terwyl transkripsies van die onderhoude kwalitatief geëvalueer is. Die bevindinge het daarop gedui dat daar sewe sleutelfaktore is wat die ontwikkeling van fisiek-gestremde atlete in hierdie provinsie beïnvloed: 1. Ondersteuningstelsels; 2. Sport deelname; 3. Omgewingstoeganglikheid; 4. Onderwys en opleiding; 5. Gesindhede en struikelblokke; 6. Bronne; en 7. Politiek. Die invloed wat hierdie aspekte op die ontwikkeling van fisiek-gestremde atlete in Limpopo provinsie uitoefen, word met die vyf sleutelgebiede van die Internasionale Paralimpiese komitee se Ontwikkelingsmodel vergelyk. Dit is bevind dat talle uitdagings Limpopo provinsie in die gesig staar, naamlik, ’n gebrek aan menslike hulpbronne, ’n tekort aan befondsing en borgskappe asook ontoereikende finansiële voorsiening om behoorlike infrastruktuur te verskaf. Dus, om fisiek-gestremde atlete in Limpopo provinsie die geleentheid te bied om binne die voorgeskrewe raamwerk van die Internasionale Paralimpiese Ontwikkelingsmodel te vorder, moet aandag geskenk word aan die sleutelfaktore en tekortkominge wat hierdie studie identifiseer. Die volgende aanbevelings word gemaak : 1. Vestig ‘n gespreksforum vir alle belanghebbendes; 2. Neem die nodige stappe vir die opheffing van die status van sport vir fisiek-gestremde atlete in die Limpopo provinsie; 3. Verbeter die samewerking tussen Sportfederasies, Staatsdepartemente en Organisasies vir Gestremde Persone in die Limpopo provinsie; 4. Lei alle belanghebbendes op; 5. Verbeter afrigtingskundigheid; 6. Sorg vir spesialis rehabilitasiekundigheid by die LSEN-skole; en 7. Moniteer en evalueer sportprogram.

More than 6 million people are currently involved in the provision of informal care in the UK, with demand expected to rise exponentially over the next decades. The aim of this thesis is twofold.  First, to estimate and compare informal care time valuations using a number of methods, and second, to estimate econometrically the determinants of informal care provision.  The first aim is addressed using both new and existing secondary data, with comparison of values across opportunity cost, market replacement cost, compensating income variation, contingent valuation and discrete choice experiments methods.  The second aim is addressed using existing secondary data, where methods of dynamic panel estimation are employed to assess the influence of various socio-economic and demographic characteristics on the decision to provide care and on the level of provision. This is the first study that estimates and compares informal care time valuations using preference-based techniques for the UK and also it is the first time that the determinants of informal care are assessed using dynamic two-part data models. Findings suggest per hour valuations from £8.5 to £14 for most of the methods with the exception of the choice experiment (with values less than £1).  A great deal of heterogeneity can be found in the valuation, especially according to type of care provided.  Informal care is found to be a complement and/or a substitute for formal care, depending on the task in question, while at the same time it competes with other time intensive activities for the allocation of time.

This study evaluated the utility of structured descriptive assessment (SDA) to generate a hypothesis regarding the operant function of problem behavior when the analogue functional analysis (FA) failed to evoke problem behavior for an adult with developmental disabilities. The effectiveness of interventions based on that hypothesis was evaluated in the natural environment. The SDA succeeded in producing a relatively controlled baseline of problem behavior where the FA and direct observation could not. However, the extent to which treatment procedures affected problem behavior could not be determined due to confounding variables outside the control of the experimenter. The results provide cautionary evidence highlighting both the potential utility of SDA and challenges that may be encountered when conducting SDA and evaluating treatments in natural environments.

The overall aim of this thesis is to discover, to value and to explain, if and why Supported Employment functions in a Swedish context and to also highlight those mechanisms which provide meaningful conditions within that context, when a person with a disability reaches, procures and retains employment. The empirical part consists of four studies that examine (1) whether SE has an effect on the employment rate, disposable income and sum of allowances, (2) the employer´s perspective of employing people with disabilities, (3) how employers perceive support from SE in the employment process and (4) how employees with disabilities perceive their work situation and social inclusion in the workplace. The studies within the thesis show that in a Swedish context, SE is encompassed by norm structures, production structures and economical structures which affect conditions for people with disabilities to reach, procure and retain employment. Supported Employment’s mode of practice and the ability to meet, co-exist and co-operate with these social structures has, in many ways, affected the prerequisites for people with disabilities to reach employment. These structures do not in themselves however, constitute a sufficient frame of ideas to enable an understanding of how SE works in a Swedish context, or how to explain the factors that affect conditions when people with disabilities reach, procure and retain employment. In the qualitative studies, trust features prominently and is considered an important mechanism in holding the process together.

It was the intent of this study to investigate the relationship of the concept of ego-strength to the success in vocational rehabilitation. Specifically, the study was designed to evaluate in detail certain components of ego-strength which might be significant in distinguishing between the successful and unsuccessful disabled workers referred to Goodwill Industries of Dallas for vocational diagnosis and training.

The problem with which this investigation is concerned is whether or not dogmatism and neuroticism in supervisors of sheltered workshops is related to changes in the self-concept of handicapped employees. The measurements of dogmatism and neuroticism were accomplished through the use of Rokeach's Dogmatism Scale, (form E) and Winne's Neuroticism Scale. Pitt's Tennessee Self Concept Scale was used to measure the self-concept of the handicapped employees.

The purpose of this study was to examine the social perceptions of young children with disabilities and young children of color. Further, an attempt was made to determine whether differential rates of acceptance were experienced by either group, or by the group of children who were of color and also had a disability within integrated classrooms. Young children (age 5.0 through 6.11) were studied in intact groups (N=120) from child care centers in the Texas counties of Denton and Dallas. Three measures of social perceptions were implemented: (a) a forced choice (multiple alternative) technique using dolls of a variety of ethnicities and ability statuses in which children must select dolls they feel represent a list of positive and negative attributes; (b) social distance theory as measured by children's artwork; (c) a sociometric rating. The results of this study showed significant areas (p< 05) of stereotype and bias in the perceptions of young children toward ethnicity, disability and gender. Implications for further research into the efficacy of multicultural and anti-bias education programs is recommended.

Descriptions of obesity, cerebral palsy, and scoliosis were rank-ordered (from one to twenty) and rated on a five-point scale by 75 college students. The descriptions were of two types: with the appearance of an individual on five levels of severity of a disorder and with the appearance and level of functioning of an individual on five levels of severity of a disorder. The ranking data indicated males rank-ordered descriptions of obese individuals different from cerebral palsy (p < 0.01) and scoliosis (p < 0.05) . The ratings of the descriptions were analyzed in two studies with 2 x 2 x 2 x 5 ANOVA's. Three-way interactions of the level of severity, complexity of description, and type of disorder rated were discussed in terms of likeability of handicapped individuals .

No description available.

M.Ed. / Every child has the right to education regardless of race, religion, colour, creed, or ability or disability. Learners with disability experienced great difficulty in gaining access to education (Department of Education, 2001:9). It is therefore imperative that such inequalities be amended and the process of 'education for all" accelerated. In a foreign country such as the USA for example, “Calls for educational reform” and “school restructuring” within the educational community are echoed in media, in state legislatures and in local schools. Questions regarding the effectiveness of current educational systems approaches to educating an increasing diverse student population are raised. The concept of “inclusive school practices” is discussed as a philosophical basis for reconstructing the manner in which schools are organized to meet the needs of all learners” (Sands, Kozleski & French, 2000:1-4). As teachers alter their instructional methods in response to student diversity in South Africa, they also need to change their practices in response to other social, political and economic conditions. Information Technology (IT) has expanded both the amount of information we access and the ways we access it (Dede, 1989:4). Changes in the world necessitate changes in what and how students are taught. / Prof. D. Van der Westhuizen