Thesis (M. A. (Information Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / The contribution of library and information services in general towards academic performance improvement of visually impaired students cannot be emphasised. At the University of Limpopo, visually impaired students, like any other students, are continually exposed to an overwhelming mass of visual materials such as textbooks, course outlines, class timetables, lecture notes, whiteboards, writing, memos etcetera. In addition, the use of videos, computers and Blackboard adds to the volume of visual materials to which they have only limited access. One would content that the University of Limpopo, especially after establishing the Audio-Braille library, has done reasonably well in a bid to improving library services of students living with disabilities, however, this is not the reality to the visually impaired themselves. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the role of the Audio-Braille library in contributing towards the academic performance of students with visual impairments at the University of Limpopo, South Africa. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed in this study. The researcher distributed questionnaires to all visually impaired students registered for the 2017 academic year at the University of Limpopo’s Reakgona Disability Centre and conducted interviews with the lecturers who teach these students. The findings indicate that although many students acknowledged the library’s contribution, a greater number of respondents revealed that the library lack relevant up-to-date academic reading material in alternative formats such as braille, large print as well as electronic. The main value of this study is to impart knowledge by pointing out major contributions of the Audio-Braille library with hope that this knowledge will encourage and motivates visually impaired students to make use of the library. Students could improve on their academic performance, abilities and possibilities, and boost their confidence and self-esteem by fully using the Audio-Braille library and its resources. Access to the relevant library facilities and resources ameliorates effects of their disabilities and gives them a chance to be “equal” to the so-called normal students v The findings of this study will also help in enhancing both the quality of education for the visually impaired, as well as the Audio-Braille library services because there is still a lot of inexperience around library services for visually impaired students at the University of Limpopo and maybe in other universities as well. Therefore, the AudioBraille library must ensure that all visually impaired students receive unsurpassed library and information services like any other students by expanding its collection so that student receive books, information, lecturer notes and other study materials that they need in their academic development process in appropriate formats.

M. Tech. (Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology), Vaal University of Technology. / In South Africa, the provision of equitable and accessible public transport is still in the early stage of development and growth. PRASA has adopted programmes that drive and promote the implementation and integration of a universal design that should meet the varying requirements of its customers. PRASA acknowledges that its facilities should be focused on the delivery of public service that acts as a catalyst and enabler within South Africa in overcoming differentiation in gender, race, income, opportunity and mobility. Facilities’ managers and especially rail managers, through facilities planning, should provide proactive service delivery to its stakeholders. In South Africa, the majority of train stations are not designed to cater for persons with special needs. Therefore, these facilities must comply with national imperatives; resulting in a need to design new facilities or redesign current train stations’ facilities so as to accommodate the diversity of human characteristics within the population, as a whole, in order to promote equal access to services and opportunities for persons with disabilities as expected in all spheres of government. This means that there are dynamic and heterogeneous elements that should be controlled in the commuter rail system design. The redesigning of some train stations had been undertaken and improvements achieved at some train stations e.g. Gautrain. The issue that arises is that there cannot be a one-to-one transfer of model to design another facilities. This is due to the constraints of space, monetary costs and information on customers or level of activeness in the facility. Companies don’t always have a lot of money at their disposal making money to become an issue. If there’s an abundance of space then one can design the train layout the way he/she wants. However this is not always the case and therefore, the available space has to be planned accordingly. Furthermore, one needs to know information on (the number of) their customers in order to plan and be able to meet their requirements. This project proposes the use of an improved flow-pattern measurement technique (i.e. integration of techniques), specifically improved From-To-Chart techniques, to assess the efficiency of the current layout while considering the constraints of variables expectations from customers and variable rewards for rendering services to different types of customers. An improved and effective layout was then proposed. The efficiency of the proposed new layout was compared with that of previous layout so as to ascertain on stakeholders’ confidence. Simulated Annealing was also used to compare different peak periods and their efficiencies so as to decide on the layout that is suitable for the commuter rail system under the different peak scenario. The Direct Clustering Algorithm was furthermore employed to try to group facilities that render similar services into cells so as to minimise movement or material handling. Results revealed that a flexible train station layout whose flow pattern can be regularly adjusted to minimize costs and to accommodate the ever-increasing expectations should be adopted. It is hoped that station managers who adopt such guides will improve on customer’s expectations.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between consumer race and vocational rehabilitation acceptance, services, and reason for closure through the state/federal vocational rehabilitation system for in individuals with specific learning disabilities. The consumers who participated in the study were individuals who applied for services during the 2006 fiscal year with specific learning disabilities (SLD). The study included two different stratified samples of 400 African Americans with SLD and 400 European Americans with SLD. Several variables were held constant in this study. These variables included: (a) gender, (b) age at application, (c) level of education at application, (d) primary source of support at application, participation in special education (as evidenced by an individualized education program), and (e) presence of a significant disability. Related to acceptance, results from the logistic regression indicated that the presence of a significant disability was positively correlated with acceptance for services in both samples. That is individuals with a significant disability were more likely to be accepted for services than were individuals without a significant disability. There were no statistically significant differences found between African Americans with SLD and European Americans with SLD in Sample A. Conversely, statistically significant differences were found in Sample B. In Sample B African Americans with SLD were less likely than European Americans with SLD to be accepted for services. In addition, under the category of educational level at application, individuals with a special education certificate of completion/diploma in attendance were less likely to be accepted for services than other educational categories. Related to services, in Sample A, African Americans with SLD were less likely to receive college training than European Americans with SLD. In Sample B, African Americans with SLD were more likely to receive job readiness and transportation services. On-the-job training was provided more frequently for European Americans with SLD than African Americans with SLD. Related to reasons for closure, the chi-square was not significant in Sample A. However in Sample B statistically significant findings were revealed. African Americans with SLD were found more likely to be closed as 'unable to locate or contact' and 'failure to cooperate'. In addition, Sample African Americans with SLD were more likely to be closed 'other reasons'. By contrast, European Americans with SLD were found to be closed due to either refusal of services or further services and to achieve an employment outcome. Limitations of the study and implications for future research and practice were also discussed. / text

Amputation patients have a great deal more than just physical recovery to contend with and the extent and scope of this condition is largely unknown in South Africa. Rehabilitation programmes for amputees, specifically at state institutions are characterised by lack of resources, lack of information provided to patients and the patients themselves seem to experience lack of support on an emotional and psychological level. This study investigates the experience of self of the amputation patient through a review of the literature available and from an ecosystemic-postmodernist viewpoint. In addition, guided imagery is examined as a technique that could add value to rehabilitation programmes for amputation patients. Health care professionals in two state hospitals in Pretoria were interviewed by means of semi-structured questionnaires to obtain additional information on current rehabilitation programmes as well as the experience of the amputation and the subsequent process for the amputee. Themes extracted from these questionnaires were used to design a suggested rehabilitation programme. This programme, based on the findings of the research, suggests certain enhancements to existing programmes and is focussed on supporting the experience of the process for the amputee through inclusion of specific guided imagery texts. / Psychology / M.A.(Clinical Psychology)

Thesis (M Social Work)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Social workers are increasingly being encouraged to include the economic development of their clients in the intervention strategies they apply. As a result of this, social work programmes with income generating activities are becoming commonplace within the social work arena. People with disabilities have been identified as a group that should be targeted for support in income generating activities and small business initiatives. An exploratory study of the effect of a social work programme on the lives of people with disabilities was undertaken. A literature study was conducted on perspectives and intervention strategies that are applied in social work intervention with people with disabilities. This included the ecological and strengths perspectives of social work as it applies to people with disabilities. The empowerment approach was described as an intervention strategy to be applied by social workers working with people with disabilities. Disability in South Africa was explored by focussing on the disability rights movement as well as the policies and institutions that affect the lives of people with disabilities. Little research has been done to explore the effect of social work programmes with income generating activities on the lives of the people involved in them. Exploratory research was done in the Western Cape using the interview survey for data collection,. The experiences of people with disabilities, who are members of a social work income-generating programme, were explored. Information obtained during the interviews is presented in four categories, namely: demographic information of the respondents, the nature of the respondents' disabilities, respondents' involvement in the programme and their awareness of their rights as people with disabilities. The study revealed that although, income generating activities were the focus of the programme, respondents did not identify economic rewards as the main reason for remaining in the programme. Respondents identified emotional and social rewards as being of most value to them in their membership of the programme. It is therefore concludedthat social work programmes should include both income-generating activities as well as activities that will enhance the emotional and social development of people with disabilities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Maatskaplike werkers word al hoe meer aangemoedig om die ekonomiese opheffing van hul kliënte in te sluit by die intervensie strategieë wat hul implementeer. Gevolglik word strategieë met inkomste-genererende aktiwiteite al hoe meer alledaags in die maatskaplike werk arena. Mense met gestremdhede is as 'n groep geïdentifiseer om ondersteuning in inkomste-genererende aktiwiteite en kleinsake inisiatiewe te ontvang. 'n Verkennende studie is onderneem om die effek van 'n maatskaplike werkprogram op die lewens van mense met gestremdhede te ondersoek. 'n Literatuurstudie is ook onderneem om die maatskaplike werk perspektiewe en intervensie strategieë wat van toepassing is op mense met gestremdhede, te beskryf. Dit het die maatskaplike werk ekologiese en sterkte perspektiewe ingesluit en ook hoe dit van toepassing is op mense met gestremdhede. Die bemagtigings benadering in maatskapike werk en die toepassing daarvan op mense met gestremdhede word ook beskryf. Gestremdheid in Suid-Afrika is verken deur te fokus op die gestremdheids regtebeweging, sowel as die beleid en instansies wat 'n effek het op die lewens van mense met gestremdhede. Min navorsing is tot dusver gedoen om die effek van maatskaplike werkprogramme met inkomste-genererende aktiwiteite op die lewens van mense met gestremdhede te verken. Verkennende navorsing is in die Wes-Kaap gedoen met behulp van onderhoude as 'n instrument vir data insameling. Die ervaringe van mense met gestremdhede, wie lede van 'n maatskaplike werk inkomstegenererende program is, is verken. Inligting wat ingewin is gedurende onderhoude word in vier kategorië aangebied, naamlik: demografiese inligting van respondente, die aard van respondente se gestremdhede, respondente se betrokkenheid by die program sowel as hulle bewustheid van hulle regte as gestremdes. In die studie is bevind dat alhoewel inkomste-genererende aktiwiteite die fokus van die program was, het respondente nie noodwendig die ekonomiese beloning as die hoof rede om in die program aan te bly, geïdentifiseer nie. Respondente het die emosionele en sosiale beloning geïdentifiseer as die aspek wat die meeste waarde vir hulle ingehou het. Die gevolgtrekking is dus dat maatskaplike werk programme beide inkomste-genererende aktiwiteite, sowel as aktiwiteite wat die emosionele en sosiale ontwikkeling van gestremdes aanmoedig, moet insluit.

Full-Service Schools are new institutions in South Africa which have been established in terms of the Education White Paper 6, Special Needs Education and Training System (Department of Education, 2001: 22-23; 2014: 9) as pilot schools for the rolling out of the Inclusion Policy in South Africa. A full-service school is a school that encourages learners who experience barriers to learning and learners without barriers to learning to learn and live together (Department of Education, 2001, 2014). For this reason, all learners must have opportunities to learn and play together and participate in educational activities in full-service schools. These inclusion practices, which promote acceptance, equity and collaboration, are responsive to individual needs, and embrace diversity (The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act No. 108 of 1996). The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of educators in management of inclusive classrooms. This study focused on how the educators perform the three of the seven educators roles as expected in the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (MRTEQ) (Department of Education, 2011).The educators, over and above these roles, are expected also to participate in extra-curricular programmes, such as sports, cultural and artistic activities, and thus taking more of their time, most probably to the detriment of not fulfilling their Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications as expected. The three selected educators roles are ‘the educator as a learning mediator’, ‘the educator as assessor’ and ‘the educator as support provider’, viz. the community, citizenship and pastoral roles of educators for the learners who experience barriers to learning in English First Additional Language (FAL) in the Grade Six inclusive classrooms. A qualitative research method was employed in this study, to explore the way in which individuals make sense of their world in the naturalistic setting of the classroom, without predetermining the research outcomes (Patton 2002, MacMillan & Schumacher 2010, Denzin & Lincoln 2011, Creswell, 2013). Data analysed was gathered through in-depth interviews, non-participatory observation, and document analysis. Data was analysed through content analysis. / Inclusive Education / D. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Community-based Rehabilitation (CBR) emerged as a response to the failure of the conventional rehabilitation system in developing countries. CBR involves service provision to People with Disabilities (PWDs), changing community attitudes towards disability and transferring knowledge and skills to PWDs, their families and their community. The study investigated the impact of the CBR strategy on PWDs and their families within the Oniipa Constituency in Namibia. The study used a mixed methods research approach and adopted explorative and descriptive research designs. It determined that CBR has initiated positive change processes in community attitudes and increased social integration of PWDs. The study recommends reviewing the definition of CBR, providing financial incentives to CBR Volunteer Workers and reviewing the current legislations on disability in Namibia. A final recommendation is that government should formalise disability studies in the country through the provision of accredited training courses to ensure greater assistance to PWDs and their families. / Public Administration / M.P.A.

Amputation patients have a great deal more than just physical recovery to contend with and the extent and scope of this condition is largely unknown in South Africa. Rehabilitation programmes for amputees, specifically at state institutions are characterised by lack of resources, lack of information provided to patients and the patients themselves seem to experience lack of support on an emotional and psychological level. This study investigates the experience of self of the amputation patient through a review of the literature available and from an ecosystemic-postmodernist viewpoint. In addition, guided imagery is examined as a technique that could add value to rehabilitation programmes for amputation patients. Health care professionals in two state hospitals in Pretoria were interviewed by means of semi-structured questionnaires to obtain additional information on current rehabilitation programmes as well as the experience of the amputation and the subsequent process for the amputee. Themes extracted from these questionnaires were used to design a suggested rehabilitation programme. This programme, based on the findings of the research, suggests certain enhancements to existing programmes and is focussed on supporting the experience of the process for the amputee through inclusion of specific guided imagery texts. / Psychology / M.A.(Clinical Psychology)

The purpose of this study was to explore the views of adults with disabilities and their care providers with regard to extent to which health promotion implementation was facilitated within Protective Workshops across several service areas in South Africa. Quantitative and Qualitative Data was collected via a combination of data collection approaches that included the use of a descriptive survey, a self-administered questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Structured questionnaires and an interview schedule were used to generate data from both the patient and care provider participants in each of the selected facilities. Participants with disabilities and care providers working in the Protective Workshops were identified and sampled through a multi-stage sampling procedure. Participants from 48 facilities participated in the study. The findings revealed that health promotion in Protective Workshops was cursory and informal. Even though health education was provided whenever the need arose, it was neither individualized nor customized in accordance with reasonable accommodation of people with disabilities. There were provincial differences in terms of the levels of participation and organizational support for people with disabilities. In certain cases bureaucratic obstacles were identified during field work. Results show inconsistency regarding access to equal opportunities for people with disabilities, albeit some agreed to a lesser extent (30.5%), others moderately (21.5%) compared to only 22.6% who agreed, were exceeded by 25% of respondents who completely disagreed to the notion that equal opportunities existed for people with disabilities. The latter was confirmed by care providers. The study recommended an urgent need for the development of inclusive health promotion, the enforcement of the requirements for reasonable accommodation and adherence to policy and legal imperatives. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

This thesis reports on the perspectives and experiences of policymakers, advocates, agency supervisors, and experts in the field of gerontology, about the development of Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) programs and Options Counseling (OC). By examining the foundations upon which ADRCs and OC are built, this study sought to inform future research about the effectiveness of existing practice, increase understanding of best practices, and clarify whether these emerging services are accomplishing original goals. ADRCs and OC intend to address long-term care issues and healthcare needs by providing a single entry point to the social service system. ADRCs offer information, assistance, and OC to people of all ages, incomes, and disabilities, and promote long-term care options that honor independence and respect for the needs and preferences of individuals, their families, and caregivers. They are the latest iteration of policymakers' efforts to provide affordable home-and community-based care for older persons and their caregivers. A total of fifteen qualitative interviews were conducted and analyzed using grounded theory methods. Key persons interviewed included experts in the area of aging, aging policy, and aging. Participants were recruited through referrals suggested by Portland State University's (PSU) Institute on Aging (IOA) staff. In addition, several key experts known to the researcher through affiliation with PSU's IOA agreed to be interviewed. Snowball sampling was then used to locate additional key experts. Interview participants were classified as advocates, state decision makers, policy makers, or academicians. Advocates included national and state directors of agencies that promote the development and management of effective services to aging adults. State decision makers included state directors, ADRC directors and supervisors, and program analysts. Policy makers interviewed were national program directors responsible for shaping the future of developing programs to assist older adults. Academicians who participated in the study have been instrumental in developing and researching practices that promote well-being for the aging and the aged. These key experts were selected based on their knowledge and ability to inform the strengths, weakness, and development of ADRCs and Options Counseling. Many have been instrumental in health and aging policy and service development and research, and possess insider knowledge not available to the general public regarding attitudes and interests motivating the actors. Findings indicate that ADRCs and OC are designed to manage within existing social service systems. They can benefit some individuals by providing more options and support in accessing public and private services. It remains to be seen whether they have the capacity to ameliorate some existing system-level problems. Findings highlight program strengths and weaknesses, sustainability issues, and policymakers, state decision makers', and providers' commitment to sustaining ADRCs and OC.