The survival rate and life expectancy of infants with complex health needs have increased overthe last decades, and this increases the number of families who have to care for such infants at home. These families seek support in the community setting, and supporting them has a positive impact on the well-being of both the parents and the infant. In South Africa the needs of these parents are not known, and this fact makes it difficult to adequately support them in the community. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the needs of parents of infants with complex health needs in the community setting. Two objectives were set to reach the aim mentioned above: 1) to critically appraise and synthesise the best available evidence on the support needs of parents of infants with complex health needs and 2) to explore and describe parents’ emic perspective on their support needs as parents of infants with complex health needs in a South African context. A sequential mixed method approach was utilised in two phases, here discussed in five chapters. In an attempt to meet objective one, the support needs of parents of infants with complex health needs were determined by means of an integrative literature review from studies obtained through computerised searches of several electronic databases, supplemented by checking reference lists and consultation with experts. This was followed by individual face-to-face interviews with the stated parents in three different settings. The latter addressed the second objective of the study, namely to provide an emic perspective on the support needs of parents of infants with complex health needs in a South African context. The integrative literature review described five main themes on the support needs of parents of infants with complex health needs: need for information, need for parent-to-parent support, need for professional support, need for self-confidence in the care of the infant and need for social support. All of these themes were confirmed in the South African context through the interviews with parents. However, South African parents added an additional theme: the need for normality. The final chapter offers an evaluation of the study and discusses study limitations and recommendations for nursing practice, education and research. / Thesis (MCur)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The survival rate and life expectancy of infants with complex health needs have increased overthe last decades, and this increases the number of families who have to care for such infants at home. These families seek support in the community setting, and supporting them has a positive impact on the well-being of both the parents and the infant. In South Africa the needs of these parents are not known, and this fact makes it difficult to adequately support them in the community. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the needs of parents of infants with complex health needs in the community setting. Two objectives were set to reach the aim mentioned above: 1) to critically appraise and synthesise the best available evidence on the support needs of parents of infants with complex health needs and 2) to explore and describe parents’ emic perspective on their support needs as parents of infants with complex health needs in a South African context. A sequential mixed method approach was utilised in two phases, here discussed in five chapters. In an attempt to meet objective one, the support needs of parents of infants with complex health needs were determined by means of an integrative literature review from studies obtained through computerised searches of several electronic databases, supplemented by checking reference lists and consultation with experts. This was followed by individual face-to-face interviews with the stated parents in three different settings. The latter addressed the second objective of the study, namely to provide an emic perspective on the support needs of parents of infants with complex health needs in a South African context. The integrative literature review described five main themes on the support needs of parents of infants with complex health needs: need for information, need for parent-to-parent support, need for professional support, need for self-confidence in the care of the infant and need for social support. All of these themes were confirmed in the South African context through the interviews with parents. However, South African parents added an additional theme: the need for normality. The final chapter offers an evaluation of the study and discusses study limitations and recommendations for nursing practice, education and research. / Thesis (MCur)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

This research project focused on the influence of animal-assisted play therapy on the self-esteem of adolescents with special needs. The goal of this study was to ascertain whether principles of animal-assisted play therapy from the gestalt approach would enhance the self-esteem of adolescents with special needs. In order to achieve this goal, the following objectives were set out: to create a theoretical knowledge base through a literature study and consultation with experts, to conduct an empirical study in order to obtain qualitative and quantitative data and to formulate conclusions and recommendations with regard to the use of animal-assisted play therapy with adolescents with special needs. A combination of the quantitative and qualitative approaches was utilized, and applied research was done, as the focus was on practical solutions that is suitable for practice. A research hypothesis was posed, namely: If animal-assisted therapy from the gestalt approach is used with adolescents with special needs, their self-esteem will be enhanced. Two adolescents were selected as respondents through purposive sampling as sub-type of non-probability sampling. An empirical study was conducted through the use of questionnaires and interviewing as data-collection methods. The quantitative data was gathered through the use of self-constructed questionnaires and the Psychosocial Functioning Inventory for High School Children (PFI – HIGH – C) from Perspective College. The researcher utilized the A-B-A research design to conduct a pre-test and a post-test. Qualitative data was gathered through interviewing using the combined animal-assisted and gestalt play therapy techniques Empirical data was gathered and indicated improvement in the self-esteem of both the respondents who were exposed to the play therapy techniques. The research has thus shown that the use of animal-assisted play therapy does enhance the self-esteem of adolescents with special needs, and has benefits for future practice. The hypothesis of the study is thus proven to be true. / Dissertation (MSD (Play Therapy))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Social Work and Criminology / Unrestricted

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)