The study explored how a practitioner and a teacher accommodated children living with cerebral palsy in Grade R, also referred to as the reception year, at two special schools, especially how they adapted the environment and used assistive devices. Cerebral Palsy is the most common form of a neurological disorder that appears in infancy or early childhood, permanently affecting body movement and muscle coordination. Research has illuminated that early specialist intervention such as assistive devices, augmentative and alternative commutation methods and assistive technology can make the world of difference to the future of the child. My research afforded me the opportunity to observe the children in Grade R living with cerebral palsy, with the practitioner and the teacher in their natural setting at school level. I followed the deductive paradigm, and adopted a case study design. The use of assistive devices and argumentative and alternative communication has historically been the domain of occupational-, speech- and physiotherapists. With the introduction of inclusive education and the new screening, identification, assessment and support policy to be conducted in all Grade R classes at all schools in South Africa, my research will be beneficial to mainstream and full-service schools, as well as special schools. Young children living with cerebral palsy will be included in all these schools and will need support from expert teachers and practitioners, who are knowledgeable about their requirements for an adapted environment and the use of assistive devices and augmentative and alternative communication methods. The study found that the Grade R staff at the special schools were knowledgeable, but their knowledge was superficial, their classrooms lacked adapted toys, and assistive technology was non-existent. Teachers and practitioners need practical training on the importance of movement for children living with cerebral palsy and the training should emphasize that experiencing the world through assistive devices alleviates barriers to learning and development. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Despite the fact that albinism affects several South Africans, it is a condition that remains deeply misunderstood. Albinism is steeped in myth and false notions, and is perceived by many as a curse and contamination. For years, persons living with albinism have been treated with doubt and suspicion. Also in schools and in the wider community, children with albinism are subjected to violence and ridicule. In certain areas on the African continent, including Southern Africa, persons living with albinism are killed for the trade in body parts for use as sacramental medicines, or sexually assaulted as a result of the belief that raping them may offer a cure for HIV/AIDS. All of this highlights the extreme vulnerability of persons living with albinism, not to mention the many violations of their fundamental rights that follow from the manner in which they are treated. Within the social context that frames the experience of persons living with albinism, the primary purpose of this study is to highlight some of the pertinent challenges faced by persons living with albinism in South Africa which compromise the full enjoyment of their fundamental rights as enshrined in the South African Constitution. The thesis makes a number of practical recommendations that will assist in promoting the legal position of this vulnerable group, while also contributing to a better understanding of albinism in general which will ultimately change negative perceptions and debunk the myths surrounding the condition. / Jurisprudence / LL. D.

Against the background of evidence that HIV-AIDS has had and continues to have an enormous impact on all South African schools, a need has arisen for HIV -AIDS policies and programmes to be effectively implemented in all schools. In this study, a qualitative methodology was used to evaluate policy implementation in the North West province. Data was gathered by means of field notes, observation and interviews with management and educators. The study found that although principals and educators are knowledgeable about HIV -AIDS, there is a tendency to discriminate against infected educators, particularly in terms of educator workload. This study also revealed that educators fear being accidentally exposed to HIV -AIDS infected blood, despite the guidelines given in the National HIV -AIDS policy and the availability of emergency first aid kits. The key thought emerging from this study is that not all schools are able to deal effectively with HIV -AIDS and that schools urgently need to plan or implement their own policies in this regard. School-based HIV-AIDS policies can only be successful if they take cognisance of local contextual issues and involve the three spheres of influence in the lives of educators and learners, namely, the sphere of the school, the sphere of family life and the sphere of the community. / Sociology / M.A.(Social and Behavioural Studies in HIV-AIDS)

Against the background of evidence that HIV-AIDS has had and continues to have an enormous impact on all South African schools, a need has arisen for HIV -AIDS policies and programmes to be effectively implemented in all schools. In this study, a qualitative methodology was used to evaluate policy implementation in the North West province. Data was gathered by means of field notes, observation and interviews with management and educators. The study found that although principals and educators are knowledgeable about HIV -AIDS, there is a tendency to discriminate against infected educators, particularly in terms of educator workload. This study also revealed that educators fear being accidentally exposed to HIV -AIDS infected blood, despite the guidelines given in the National HIV -AIDS policy and the availability of emergency first aid kits. The key thought emerging from this study is that not all schools are able to deal effectively with HIV -AIDS and that schools urgently need to plan or implement their own policies in this regard. School-based HIV-AIDS policies can only be successful if they take cognisance of local contextual issues and involve the three spheres of influence in the lives of educators and learners, namely, the sphere of the school, the sphere of family life and the sphere of the community. / Sociology / M.A.(Social and Behavioural Studies in HIV-AIDS)

Abstract in English, Tswana and Afrikaans / People who graduated from higher education, whether they attended classes on campus or studied via a distance mode of learning, have not only been educated but are also able to participate in and contribute positively to the political, social and economic forums in their immediate environments and within their country. Progressing through the higher education system successfully is not easy since there are many challenges to overcome. Students With Disabilities (SWD) face even greater challenges in making their way through the system to emerge triumphantly as graduates. Institutions of higher learning, including Open Distance eLearning (ODeL) facilities, must provide support to SWD in order to facilitate their learning experience so that they are better equipped to succeed. Therefore, it is vital to promote access to higher education for people with disabilities and to provide support, such as making assistive technologies and human services available, for SWD within ODeL institutions. This qualitative study was exploratory in nature and used a multiple case study research design in the chosen area to investigate the provision of support for SWD in the ODeL institution. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews and a document analysis, and these two methods of data gathering assisted with triangulation. The research findings revealed differences between the findings that were obtained through the responses received from teacher and staff member participants. The research findings also revealed differences between the findings that were obtained through the responses received from the participants, in general, and those obtained through the document analysis. The findings obtained through responses received from teacher participants showed that support for SWD was more evident at the school level than at the ODeL institution, that is, at the tertiary level of education. The document analysis of the policies of the ODeL institution revealed that the policies were general and did not specifically relate to the needs of SWD. At the same time, the findings in this dissertation of limited scope showed that the use of technology and the availability of assistive devices were more prominent at the school level than at the ODeL institution. / Batho ba ba alogang go tswa mo ditheong tse kgolwane tsa Thuto, ba tswa ba ka bo ba rutilwe le go ithuta ka go tsenela dikamuso (attending lecturers) mo khemphaseng kgotsa ba rutilwe le go ithuta ka thutotlhaeletsano, ga ba rutega fela mme ba kgona gape le go nna le seabe le go abelana ka tshiamo mo diforamong tsa sepolotiki, tsa seloago le tsa seikonomi mo ditikologong tse ba iphitlhelang ba le mo go tsona naga ka bophara. Go tsweletsa dithuto mo setheong sa thuto e kgolwane ka katlego ga go bonolo ka gonne go na le dikgwetlho di le dintsi tse o tshwanelwang ke go di fenya. Baithuti ba ba tshelang-ka-bogole (Students with disabilities -SWD) ba lebagane le dikgwetlho tse dikgolo thata mo setheong sa thuto e kgolwane, go ka ipona kwa bofelelong e le dialogane tse di atlegileng. Ditheo tsa thuto e kgolwane, go akaretsa le tsa tlamelo ya thutotlhaeletsano ka mafarafatlha ntle le maparego (ODeL), di tshwanelwa ke go tshegetsa SWD mo dithutung tsa bone gore batle ba atlege. Ka jalo, go botlhokwa go rotlweetsa phitlhelelo ya thuto e kgolwane go batho ba ba tshelang ka bogole le go ba tshegetsa, jaaka go ka ba direla le go ba neela thekenoloji tsa thuso le ditirelo tsa thuso-ka-batho. Tshegetse fela jaaka e tshwanetse go SWD ba ba mo ODeL. Patlisiso e ya khwaletatifi, e tlhametswe go utulola mme ebile e dirisitse mefuta e le mentsi ya go batlisisa ka ga mokgwa wa go tshegetsa SWD mo ODeL. Tshedimosetso kgotsa dinewane di kokoantswe ka go dirisa seripa sa dipotsolotso le go sekaseka tokamana, mme mekgwa e mebedi e, e thusitse ka go netefatsa diphitlheleo tse di bonweng. Diphitlhelelo tsa patlisiso di bontshitse dipharologano magareng ga diphitlhelelo tse di bonweng go tswa go barutabana kwa sekolong le go tswa go badiri kwa ODeL. Diphitlhelelo tsa patlisiso, di tlhagisitse gape dipharologano magareng ga diphitlhelelo tse di bonweng go tswa go banna-le-seabe, ka kakaretso, le tse di bonweng go tswa mo go sekasekeng tokamana. Diphitlhelelo tse di bonweng go tswa go barutabana, di bontshitse gore tshegetso ya SWD e tlhomame kwa sekolong go na le kwa ODeL, e leng setheo sa thuto e e kgolwane. Tshekatsheko ya tokomana ya dipholisi tsa ODeL, e bontsitse fa dipholisi e le tsa kakaretso fela mme di sa tote ka tlhamalalo ditlhokego tsa SWD. Go ntse go le jalo, diphitlhelelo tsa tlhotlhomisi e e lekanyeditsweng mothamo, di bontshitse fa tiriso ya thekenoloji le go nna teng ga didiriswa-thuso, di tlhomame kwa sekolong go na le kwa ODeL. / Mense wat aan hoëronderwysinstellings gradueer, of hulle klasse op kampus bygewoon het of deur 'n afstandsmetode van leer studeer het, is nie slegs onderrig nie, maar hulle kan ook deelneem aan en positief bydra tot die politieke, sosiale en ekonomiese forums in hul onmiddellike omgewing en in hul land. Dit is nie maklik om suksesvol deur die hoëronderwysstelsel te vorder nie, omdat daar baie struikelblokke is om te oorkom. Studente met gestremdhede (SMG) het selfs meer uitdagings om hul weg deur die stelsel te baan en triomfantlik as graduandi te verrys. Hoëronderriginstellings, insluitende oop e-afstandsleer (ODeL) -fasiliteite, moet ondersteuning aan SMG bied om hul leerervarings te fasiliteer sodat hulle beter toegerus is om sukses te behaal. Dit is daarom noodsaaklik om toegang tot hoër onderwys en ondersteuning aan mense met gestremdhede te bied, soos om hulptegnologieë en menslike dienste aan SMG in ODeL-instellings beskikbaar te stel. Hierdie kwalitatiewe studie was verkennend van aard en het 'n veelvoudige gevallestudie-ontwerp in die gekose veld gebruik om die voorsiening van ondersteuning aan SMG in 'n ODeL-instelling te ondersoek. Data is versamel deur semigestruktureerde onderhoude en 'n dokumentonleding; hierdie twee metodes van dataversameling het met triangulasie gehelp. Navorsingsbevindings het verskille aangedui tussen die data wat verkry is van die onderwyser en die van deelnemende personeellede se reaksies. Navorsingsbevindings het ook verskille aangedui tussen die data wat verkry is van deelnemers se reaksies oor die algemeen en die wat deur dokumentontleding verkry is. Die bevindings wat deur die onderwyserdeelnemers verkry is, het aangedui dat ondersteuning aan SMG duideliker op skoolvlak was as by die ODeL-instelling; dit is op tersiêre vlak van onderwys. Die dokumentontleding van die ODeL-instelling se beleide het aangedui dat die beleide algemeen was nie spesifiek met SWD se behoeftes verband hou nie. Terselfdertyd het die bevindings van hierdie verhandeling van beperkte omvang getoon dat die gebruik van tegnologie en die beskikbaarheid van hulptoestelle meer prominent was op skoolvlak as by die ODeL-instelling. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Open Distance Learning)