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.

Poor post-school outcomes for young adults with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have underscored the need to gain insight into the use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in the planning and implementation of transition services. EBPs for effective transition planning and implementation have been documented in the literature but do not appear to be fully utilized in practice to achieve desired student outcomes, reflecting a research-to-practice gap. EBPs have the potential to produce positive outcomes at the high school level, if implemented with fidelity. Special education personnel, especially administrators, play a vital and unique role in transition planning. They can either facilitate or hinder the process. This phenomenological study investigated the perceptions of public school administrators regarding the extent of their awareness of EBPs to ensure the successful transition of students with ASD and associated barriers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 secondary-level public school administrators. Major themes identified through analyzing the qualitative data included (a) a positive vision for students with ASD, (b) characteristics of a good transition program, (c) administrators' roles in the transition process, (d) barriers to EBP implementation, (e) strategies to reduce barriers, and (f) ownership of what administrators can do to remedy the problem. Lastly, the study generated recommendations to assist school districts with improving transition services for students with ASD.

No description available.

Since the inception of special education laws in the 1970’s, special education teachers have been given the responsibility of educating children with exceptional needs. Those needs range from children with mild to moderate disabilities to children with moderate to severe disabilities. There are 13 categories that a child can qualify for special education services through an Individual Education Program (IEP). The majority of children with exceptional needs are educated on general education campuses. With high stakes testing and the push for academic excellence, one may wonder how a child with exceptional needs fits into a general education campus. The Education of Handicapped Act (EHA) was passed in 1970 and guaranteed that every child was entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) at any public-school facility. Since that time, more laws have been updated and renamed giving a child with a disability more access and rights to a FAPE. Special education can be very complex, and teachers must work with students who have a varying degree of disabilities. Special education teachers are responsible for creating lessons to address the academic and behavioral needs of each of their students on their caseloads. They must also collaborate with the general education teachers to make sure they are aware of the needs and goals of the students in their classes. They are responsible for writing the IEP for each student on their caseload. They must evaluate their students throughout the school year on their goals and update their progress. Another role that the special education teacher has is to train the instructional assistance to work with the students and their unique needs (Capper & Frattura, 2009; Prather-Jones, 2011). Research shows that the main reasons special education teachers gave for leaving was lack of administrative support, huge caseloads, the demands of the IEP (Individual Education Program) paperwork, followed by isolation, too much diversity of student needs and the lack of appreciation by co-workers and administrators for all their hard work (Billingsley & Cross, 1991, 2007; Crocket, 2007; Prather-Jones, 2011). This study looked at the role of the site administrator and why it is important to support their special education teachers. Seven site elementary principals were interviewed to see what their perception was in helping their special education teachers with the special needs’ students on their respective school campuses. After conducting two interviews with each participant for a total of 14 interviews these are the themes that emerged: communication, mental health issues, lack of support/or delay in receiving help, culture between special education and general education teachers, support for special education programs and teachers, curriculum, funding and on the job training. This study used the lens of transformational leadership to see how principals perceived their role in helping their special education teachers.

No description available.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Community and Continuing Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / This study is an exploration of the educational needs and assets of the visual impaired undergraduate students at a Rural-Based University in South Africa. The research question addressed is What are the educational needs and assets of the visual impaired Undergraduate students at a Rural-Based University in South Africa. The study is underpinned within the interpretivist paradigm. A qualitative research approach was adopted, utilising a case study design. Data was collected through document analysis, semi-structured interviews and observations. Analytic induction in which themes, patterns and categories emerged from the data was deemed appropriate. The study sample was composed of the Director of Reakgona Disability Centre, four the visual impaired undergraduate students from the three faculties of the University of Limpopo (Humanities, Management and Law, and Science and Agriculture), as well as four academic staff members teaching the sampled students. The total study sample comprised nine participants. The study has revealed the existence of a highly inflexible curriculum, lack of assistive devices, poor teaching and assessment strategies, untrained academic staff, poor support from the majority of academic staff members, poor support from a few of the peers with normal sight, difficulties during transition from secondary school to university, and limited library services that led to the marginalisation of the visual impaired undergraduate students. The study also found that the visual impaired undergraduate students possess the following educational assets: the availability of Reakgona Disability Centre, support from the majority of peers with normal sight, support from a few academic staff members, availability of associations and institutions that offer financial assistance to the visual impaired students, and the health clinic that provides health care. Based on the findings of the research some conclusions were drawn. Several recommendations are made to address the educational needs and assets of the visual impaired undergraduate students at a Rural-Based University in South Africa. Suggestions for future research are made to close the gap that exists in research on the education of students with visual impairments

The number of students with learning disabilities entering the higher education system in South Africa is increasing dramatically. At the same time, the misconceptions about disabilities can have distressing consequences for disabled students. A thorough understanding of current staff attitudes and knowledge of learning disabilities will assist when setting up interventions aimed at improving perceptions. This qualitative, phenomenological case study uses the bio-psycho-social model of disability to explore staff perceptions at the University of the Witwatersrand. Interviews with staff members showed that a wide range of opinions and attitudes exist. Although perceptions varied between participants, the main findings indicated that they presented a poor understanding of what disability, and in particular, learning disability means. The conclusion was drawn that Wits University should be proactive in empowering their staff by providing them with opportunities to learn about disabilities. This investment in staff development should ultimately lead to a richer campus life where all students feel welcome. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Adult Education)

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of School Intervention Teams (SITs) in assisting learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN) at community junior secondary schools (CJSS) in Botswana. This case study was guided by the cultural-historical theory on cognitive development by Lev Vygotsky and Bill Hettler’s theory on wellness dimensions. The study used mixed research approach which combined qualitative and quantitative method. The data collection instruments used included questionnaires which were completed by members of SITs, semi-structured oral interview which was specifically planned for SIT coordinators and lastly, document analysis. This research task was carried out under the permission of University of South Africa (UNISA) Ethics Clearance Committee and Ministry of Education and Skills Development (Botswana). Letters of consent were obtained from the school heads, SIT coordinators and members of SIT in the sampled community junior secondary schools (CJSS). The findings of this study showed that the effectiveness of SIT is dependent upon availability of positive attitude and support towards Inclusive Education by school management team, teachers, parents, external stakeholders (Botswana examinations Centre, Central Resource Centre, Principal Education Officers for Special education). Effectiveness of SIT is also enhanced by availability of resources such as teaching learning aids, office and classroom for remediation of the identified learners. Therefore, there is still a great gap between special education recommendation and their implementation in CJSS in Botswana and this hinders the effectiveness of SITs. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Although all organizations and institutions should consider accessibility when developing online content, inaccessibility is a recurring issue in recent literature pertaining to online learning environments (OLEs) and faculty accessibility awareness. The goal was to describe how online faculty gain knowledge regarding accessibility, to explore the lived experiences of online faculty who have worked with students who have disabilities, and to gain a better understanding of how faculty experience the process of accessibility implementation. The following research questions guided this study: How do faculty in OLEs experience encounters regarding accessibility for students who have print related disabilities? How do faculty in OLEs experience the journey of developing the skills needed to provide accessibility for students with print related disabilities? What aspects of accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) do faculty members practice in OLEs and what meaning do they ascribe to the lived experience of providing these accommodations? An interview guide was used to address the research questions. Participants were recruited from the Online Learning Consortium and Assistive Technology Industry Association for participation in phenomenological interviews, which were recorded and then transcribed verbatim. The transcripts of these interviews were analyzed to determine eight super-ordinate themes: Accessibility and usability awareness of online faculty; interactions and relationships between faculty, students, various departments, and outside organizations relating to SWDs and accessibility; different perspectives and experiences of faculty who teach courses within programs that have an emphasis on accessibility, AT, or working with people with disabilities; faculty experiences and perspectives of working with SWDs and providing accessible materials in OLEs; faculty training and experience with accessibility and people with disabilities; faculty autonomy within OLEs as it relates to creating accessible content; accommodations and accessibility features used in OLEs; as well as LMS accessibility and usability. The results of this study led to several implications regarding training and support services for faculty, students, other staff, and administration within online programs, best practices for implementing accessibility, as well as recommendations for future studies.

As a result of the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997, schools must now consider positive behavioral interventions and strategies to address problem behavior of students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders (E/BD). Given the poor behavioral, academic, and social outcomes for these students, there is a compelling need to identify effective, proactive interventions. Current literature has well established the ineffectiveness of traditional, punitive, and consequence-laden strategies to deal with behaviors. Research has shown the manipulation of antecedent stimuli, in the form of curricular adaptations, can provide a positive, proactive means of managing behavior. Specifically, curriculum modifications, based on student interest, are proposed as a positive, proactive strategy used to manipulate antecedent stimuli to improve the behavior of students with E/BD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the manipulation of antecedent stimuli through the implementation of individualized, curricular adaptations, based on student interest, to reduce the problem behavior of students exhibiting disruptive behaviors. A second purpose was to explore the effect of those adaptations on the behavior motivation of students with E/BD. In this study, curriculum modifications based on student interest were used to reduce disruptive behavior, increase desirable behavior, and effect change in the motivation for problem behavior among four elementary school boys with E/BD. Use of an ABAB reversal design, including interval data collection, and the use of a behavior rating scale and a motivation assessment scale were used to establish baseline data and determine effectiveness of the intervention. Results indicate that each student demonstrated a reduction in disruptive behavior, an increase in desirable behavior, and changes in motivation for behavior.