Representation and methods of normalisation: Narratives of disability within a South African tertiary institution
Background: The manner in which disability is understood influences how individuals within a society, its institutions, policies and structures are able to accommodate and support people with disabilities (PWD) (Kaplan 2000). Understanding how students with disabilities (SWD) within a higher educati...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2020-07-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Disability |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/629 |
| _version_ | 1811302531846897664 |
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| author | Taegan Devar Shaida Bobat Shanya Reuben |
| author_facet | Taegan Devar Shaida Bobat Shanya Reuben |
| author_sort | Taegan Devar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The manner in which disability is understood influences how individuals within a society, its institutions, policies and structures are able to accommodate and support people with disabilities (PWD) (Kaplan 2000). Understanding how students with disabilities (SWD) within a higher education context perceive and experience disability as well as how key players, namely, lecturers and disability unit (DU) staff, who influence that experience, is important in further shaping policy and providing a truly inclusive environment for all within HEIs.
Objectives: The study aimed to examine the narratives of disability among SWD, lecturers and the DU within a tertiary institution, with a view to better understand their experiences and required initiatives to address the challenges of disability within a higher tertiary institution.
Method: The study drew on three theoretical frameworks: social constructionism, feminist disability theory and the Foucauldian perspective. Data for the study were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 12 SWD, seven members of staff from the institution’s DU and five lecturers from within the School of Applied Human Sciences. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Results: The findings suggested that in spite of both facilitating and positive representations of disability, the dominant representation of disability was perceived as challenging and as a result, disempowering. Students with disabilities were found to adapt, and consequently modify their behaviour by disassociating from their disability in order to fit in.
Conclusion: The study highlights the need for creating spaces and engagement within an HEI context that both challenge negative discourses of disability, and at the same time, promote positive representations of disability. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:30:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f603fc6de727484daf0e4d5f0febc035 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-9170 2226-7220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:30:49Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Disability |
| spelling | doaj.art-f603fc6de727484daf0e4d5f0febc0352022-12-22T02:56:22ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Disability2223-91702226-72202020-07-0190e1e1010.4102/ajod.v9i0.629228Representation and methods of normalisation: Narratives of disability within a South African tertiary institutionTaegan Devar0Shaida Bobat1Shanya Reuben2People Smart Consulting, DurbanSchool of Applied Human Sciences, Discipline of Psychology, University of KwaZulu Natal, DurbanSchool of Applied Human Sciences, Discipline of Psychology, University of KwaZulu Natal, DurbanBackground: The manner in which disability is understood influences how individuals within a society, its institutions, policies and structures are able to accommodate and support people with disabilities (PWD) (Kaplan 2000). Understanding how students with disabilities (SWD) within a higher education context perceive and experience disability as well as how key players, namely, lecturers and disability unit (DU) staff, who influence that experience, is important in further shaping policy and providing a truly inclusive environment for all within HEIs. Objectives: The study aimed to examine the narratives of disability among SWD, lecturers and the DU within a tertiary institution, with a view to better understand their experiences and required initiatives to address the challenges of disability within a higher tertiary institution. Method: The study drew on three theoretical frameworks: social constructionism, feminist disability theory and the Foucauldian perspective. Data for the study were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 12 SWD, seven members of staff from the institution’s DU and five lecturers from within the School of Applied Human Sciences. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The findings suggested that in spite of both facilitating and positive representations of disability, the dominant representation of disability was perceived as challenging and as a result, disempowering. Students with disabilities were found to adapt, and consequently modify their behaviour by disassociating from their disability in order to fit in. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for creating spaces and engagement within an HEI context that both challenge negative discourses of disability, and at the same time, promote positive representations of disability.https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/629swdnormalisationnarrativessocial constructionismhigher education institutions |
| spellingShingle | Taegan Devar Shaida Bobat Shanya Reuben Representation and methods of normalisation: Narratives of disability within a South African tertiary institution African Journal of Disability swd normalisation narratives social constructionism higher education institutions |
| title | Representation and methods of normalisation: Narratives of disability within a South African tertiary institution |
| title_full | Representation and methods of normalisation: Narratives of disability within a South African tertiary institution |
| title_fullStr | Representation and methods of normalisation: Narratives of disability within a South African tertiary institution |
| title_full_unstemmed | Representation and methods of normalisation: Narratives of disability within a South African tertiary institution |
| title_short | Representation and methods of normalisation: Narratives of disability within a South African tertiary institution |
| title_sort | representation and methods of normalisation narratives of disability within a south african tertiary institution |
| topic | swd normalisation narratives social constructionism higher education institutions |
| url | https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/629 |
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