Search

As governments embark on providing their services online (e‐Government services), it is imperative for them to ensure that these services remain accessible to all online users. Prior studies have demonstrated that providing accessible online services remains a challenge for most governments, and more so for developing countries. This study seeks to identify and better understand the factors influencing the design and implementation of accessible e‐Government services. The study employed qualitative semi‐structured interviews in order to collect primary data from twelve government employees working as developers, designers, business analysts, and the management team. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. This study identifies two key factors influencing the design and implementation of accessible e‐Government services, namely: organizational structures and stakeholder supporting structures. Furthermore, the findings explain how these factors affect the current practices of designing and implementing accessible e‐Government services. Four practices in use were recognized as instrumental in the design and implementation of accessible e‐Government services. These are: (i) championing accessibility; (ii) adoption of an omni‐channel approach, as well as digital learning and awareness; (iii) development of inhouse guidelines and best practices, as well as support for developing assistive technologies; (iv) and lastly, reflective practices. The study discusses the implications of these findings for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world faces unprecedented social, economic, and environmental issues, there is a greater emphasis on participation in community-driven solutions to foster sustainable and inclusive development. More local urban planning studies need to demonstrate the nexus between peoples' emotional bond with a place - place attachment, and participation in community-driven development initiatives. This article aims to add to the body of knowledge in the broad field of environmental design, where the concept of place attachment influences the design of urban spaces. The article explores the nexus between place attachment and community participation in community-driven programmes in Gauteng province, South Africa. This article adopts a quantitative approach and uses the Gauteng City-Region Observatory's Quality of Life (QoL) survey data. The study uses K-means clustering and ordered logistic regression models as the primary data-analysis methods. Four social clusters were identified based on place attachment, participation in community initiatives was evaluated, and a combined participation index was calculated. The identified clusters, namely the discontented advocates, neighbourhood self-doubters, potential community catalysts from afar or non-local influencers and potential neighbourhood champions had different levels of participation in community-driven initiatives. Cluster 'Discontented advocates' is more likely to participate in community development programmes than the cluster 'Neighbourhood self-doubters'. The developed combined participation index shows that nearly half (45.5%) of the residents in Gauteng province have never participated in community-driven development initiatives. The study recommends that various stakeholders should engage in inclusive and robust participatory planning procedures, and experiment with the implementation of universal design features that ensure equitable access to urban amenities, inclusion, and cultural sensitivity. These practical measures foster a sense of identity, place dependence, and social bonding, which are the important dimensions of place attachment that positively influence community-driven development and meet the overall goals of social justice and societal well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiences of students with disabilities are the focus of the study, guided by the research question: What can we learn about inclusive formative assessment in work-integrated learning (WIL) from the experiences of students with disabilities? The capability approach was drawn on to theorize how inclusive formative assessment in WIL could contribute to students’ success and well-being. Five narrative interviews with six students were conducted over the course of their first year. The study found that students valued formative assessment tasks that combined engaged learning with preparation for working life. Formative assessment provided opportunities to showcase strengths and develop areas of weakness in a safe space. Above all, students appreciated lecturers who adapted assessment tasks to their needs. The study contributes to an understanding of inclusive formative assessment from the perspectives of students with disabilities and diverse learning needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 defines equal and inclusive education, countries in the Global South, including South Africa, have a long way to go to achieve this goal. South Africa has a unique political and historical narrative, and three decades after apartheid, there remain stark differences in education. This research focuses on learners with learning disabilities, such as dyscalculia and dyslexia. The introduction of digital technologies within higher education institutions excludes these learners, as the adaptability of digital learning techniques has not been considered for specific learning disabilities. The challenges are now heightened. Although primary studies have been conducted in the past, no definitive solutions have been established for the seamless integration of these learners into mainstream education. Hence, a different research approach was undertaken. An expansive review of existing scholarship was conducted using online academic resources and search platforms such as Google Scholar, Scopus, and EBSCOhost. The purpose was to engage with global literature responding to South African-specific issues. A discussion and comparison of available resources and tools were outlined and structured according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study was underpinned by the universal design for learning theory. Global research indicated the availability of online tools that were too expensive for South African education and incompatible with the lack of technological skills and infrastructure. Popular and effective tools, including augmented reality and gamification-type applications, have seen positive results but are currently impractical for South African usage. The literature provided adequate information to develop an introductory clinical sociology intervention and embark on a process of awareness and support for educators and affected learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There has been a steady increase in the number of students with disabilities (SWD) in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in South Africa, with a significant number of students having visual disabilities. Equal access remains a key challenge in the classroom setting, thus emphasising a significant gap. Objectives: This paper capitalised on the significance of this gap and examined the potential of Universal Design of Instruction (UDI) to promote equal access for students with visual disabilities (SWVDs) in the classroom within a university setting in order to maximise learning outcomes. Method: The study was conducted at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), which had approximately 204 SWVDs. This paper draws primarily on the quantitative component of the study. Data collection entailed distributing a questionnaire to all SWVDs. Analysis was conducted using SPSS 21, which produced descriptive and inferential statistics. The theoretical framework of Sen's Capability Approach in line with the Social Model of Disability was applied. Results: Findings indicated a lack of UDI in the classroom with very little compliance to all principles, resulting in increased challenges in teaching and learning for SWVDs. The incorporation of UDI in the classroom does have a positive correlation with learning outcomes. Conclusion: The incorporation of UDI principles can offer a potential design for easier access to teaching and learning to enhance and maximise learning outcomes; alleviate access challenges in the classroom; and address the negative experiences thereof for SWVDs. Contribution: The study adds value to the scarce body of knowledge on UDI in the classroom for university SWVDs from a learning enhancement perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South Africa, access to education is regarded as a right enshrined in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution yet issues of inequality, poor access and exclusion remain as intense as they have always been for students with disabilities. When universities closed due to Covid-19, all students suffered in one way or the other but those with disabilities suffered the most as their support is not mainstreamed. This highlighted the need to create a seamless system of student support if we are to leave no student behind. To do this, the paper proposes the adoption of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a framework that supports inclusive teaching and learning. Adopting UDL is critical in ensuring curriculum access and in addressing fragmented student support. Supporting students with disabilities should be everyone's responsibility and the sooner we adopt the principles of UDL, the better the learning outcomes for all students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper used Critical Disability Theory to unpack the impact of Covid-19 on students with disabilities' learning in South African higher education. Data were collected by analysing and synthesising South African and international literature available in Google Scholar, ProQuest, books, journal articles and online resources. The finding was that students with disabilities were excluded in their learning before Covid-19, and the pandemic only exacerbated their exclusion. It was proposed that incorporating the principles of the Universal Design for Learning into the teaching practice, and training academic staff on its implementation, might be an effective intervention to enable inclusion; not only of students with disabilities, but also all diverse students in the South African higher education context, and in Africa at large. In addition, extensive consultation on students with disabilities' lived experience can assist in their inclusion, as they know what they need in terms of learning. Also, a 'new normal', as resulting from the response to Covid-19, was presented and how it can be of benefit to students with disabilities' learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: South Africa has undertaken the implementation of inclusive education as a vehicle for achieving enhanced educational outcomes and equity. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an instructional design framework that takes into account the wide range of variations in skills and abilities that exist across all learners, and provides a research-based set of principles and guidelines for inclusive curriculum development and delivery. Objectives: To locate UDL within the specific inclusive education policy context of South Africa and consider how this approach can support policy implementation. We have argued that UDL could serve as a strategy to link policy imperatives with classroom practice, enabling effective communication between the different actors. Method: We reviewed fundamental inclusive education policies in South Africa and research relating to their implementation, and how they configure support and curriculum differentiation. We then compared this understanding with that proposed by UDL and considered what could be gained in adopting a UDL framework. Results: We noted that UDL has several advantages in that it allows for a common language between education stakeholders and gives new meaning to the interpretation of levels of support. Conclusion: The implementation of inclusive education in South Africa could be enhanced by introducing the concepts of UDL into policy, research and teaching practice as a common language and vehicle for packaging support systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During apartheid in South Africa, students with disabilities (SWDs) were educated in special schools and taught an inferior curriculum, preventing them from accessing and participating with success in universities. To redress this, the new democratic government that came to power after apartheid put in place a range of laws to address the apartheid's curriculum inadequacies. However, this has had little impact in the academic success of SWDs, whose dropout rates continue to increase. In order to broadly understand the inclusion of SWDs in higher education (HE) curriculum transformation, this study utilised a document analysis method to conduct a critical review of literature on the experiences of lecturers, SWDs and Disability Unit Staff Members (DUSMs). The study sought to explore whether lecturers' curriculum practices could be said to be informed by Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which was also used as theoretical lens. The findings indicate that due to lack of training both lecturers willing and unwilling to support SWDs in the curriculum are struggling to operationalise UDL principles in designing and delivering their curriculum. The study concludes by recommending that university management invest in professional development courses in UDL aimed at practically training lecturers on how to inform the design of their curriculum with UDL principles. This study has added new knowledge by highlighting the need for the active involvement of the university management, and thus it recommends future studies to sample the university management on measures they are taking in supporting disability inclusion initiatives on their campuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around the world, institutions of higher education are recognising their responsibilities to achieve the full inclusion of individuals with differing needs and/or disabilities. The frameworks of universal design (UD) and universal design for learning (UDL) offer unique ways to build inclusiveness in our systems. The role of UD and UDL to strengthen successful inclusion of persons with differing needs in higher education programmes is presented from literature, inclusive of national and international policies and resources. Examples from South African and US institutions of higher learning are shared. Discussions of online accessibility, environmental issues, professional development, barriers to inclusion and recommendations for future development in an international context provide a vision for developing inclusive learning environments in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa has adopted an inclusive education policy in order to address barriers to learning in the education system. However, the implementation of this policy is hampered by the lack of teachers' skills and knowledge in differentiating the curriculum to address a wide range of learning needs. In this paper we provided a background to inclusive education policy in South Africa and a brief exposition of an instructional design approach, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) that addresses a wide range of learning needs in a single classroom. We reported on a workshop conducted with teachers and therapists in South Africa as a first attempt to introduce UDL in this context. Knowledge of UDL was judged to be appropriate and useful by the course participants in the South African context as a strategy for curriculum differentiation in inclusive classrooms. Furthermore, knowledge of the UDL framework facilitates dialogue between teachers and therapists and provides a relatively simple and comprehensive approach for curriculum differentiation. We therefore conclude that there is potential for this approach that can be expanded through further teacher training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) video interventions are often transferred across settings. Although the outcomes of these transferred interventions are frequently published, the process of adapting such videos is less described, particularly within and across lower-income contexts. This study fills a gap in the literature by outlining experiences and priorities adapting a suite of South African maternal nutrition videos to the context of rural Burkina Faso., Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the key components in adapting a suite of maternal nutrition mHealth videos across settings., Methods: Guided by the principles of human-centered design, this qualitative study included 10 focus group discussions, 30 in-depth interviews, and 30 observations. We first used focus group discussions to capture insights on local nutrition and impressions of the original (South African) videos. After making rapid adjustments based on these focus group discussions, we used additional methods (focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and observations) to identify challenges, essential video refinements, and preferences in terms of content delivery. All data were collected in French or Dioula, recorded, transcribed, and translated as necessary into French before being thematically coded by two authors., Results: We propose a 3-pronged Video Adaptation Framework that places the aim of video adaptation at the center of a triangle framed by end recipients, health workers, and the environment. End recipients (here, pregnant or lactating mothers) directed us to (1) align the appearance, priorities, and practices of the video's protagonist to those of Burkinabe women; (2) be mindful of local realities whether economic, health-related, or educational; and (3) identify and routinely reiterate key points throughout videos and via reminder cards. Health workers (here, Community Health Workers and Mentor Mothers delivering the videos) guided us to (1) improve technology training, (2) simplify language and images, and (3) increase the frequency of their engagements with end recipients. In terms of the environment, respondents guided us to localize climate, vegetation, diction, and how foods are depicted., Conclusions: Design research provided valuable insights in terms of developing a framework for video adaptation across settings, which other interventionists and scholars can use to guide adaptations of similar interventions., (©Jasmin Isler, N Hélène Sawadogo, Guy Harling, Till Bärnighausen, Maya Adam, Moubassira Kagoné, Ali Sié, Merlin Greuel, Shannon A McMahon. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 11.11.2019.)