This thesis explores representations of Paralympians within media and advertising. Scholarly research on disability is extremely limited, with current research focusing on print media, and few studies going as far as to perform a discourse analysis. Media representations play a prevalent role in constructing “disability” and have the power to define what it means to be a disabled person. Using a poststructural theoretical framework, I undertake a critical discourse analysis of television advertisements produced by Nike and Visa to uncover what narratives regarding disability are circulating with regularity. I find these advertisements featuring Paralympians serve to reproduce the myth of the “supercrip”, failing to acknowledge the complexity of individual experiences of those living with disabilities. Further, the simultaneous celebration and marginalization of Paralympians, a key dialectic found within these advertisements is indicative of a larger polemics circulating with regularity regarding people with disabilities within our increasingly neoliberal society. / v, 117 leaves ; 29 cm

According to the recent Statistics South Africa (2007), there are 668 176 children with disability between 6 – 23 years old of which 337 660 are males and 330 516 females in the Amathole District of the Eastern Cape. This number consists of schoolchildren with visual, auditory, physical, mental, multiple and non- specified types of disabilities. However, there are limited research studies on the challenges around opportunities for children to participate in variety of sporting activities within the school settings. The purpose of this study was to provide a more accurate picture of the barriers against inclusion of students with disabilities in sports, among the identified Special Schools in the Amathole district, Eastern Cape. Data collection involved interviews, questionnaire and participant observation methods. Results showed that 87 percent of the students with disabilities participated in one sport or the other with male student participating more (92.2 percent than the female participants (86.7 percent). Overall, the participation rate was 86.7 percent. Further analysis of data revealed that 44 percent female and 41.5 percent male students agreed strongly that sporting activities are beneficial to their health. 7.1 percent of the sample indicated that their disability prevented them from sports participation. The reported main barriers towards sports participation include; lack of trained personnel; lack of adequate funding; lack of cooperation from parents and guardians and inadequate facilities and equipment. Although students with disabilities were using the limited resources at their disposal to participate in sports, they need support to sustain their efforts.

University of Macau / Faculty of Education