This article reports on a study conducted to explore the barriers towards accessible quality higher education for students with disabilities (SwDs) in a South African Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) institution. The ultimate purpose of this study is to understand and shed light on the challenges that need to be addressed to improve the Unisa…

This qualitative study investigates the service experiences of differently-abled students within the Financial Aid Department of a prominent South African University of Technology. Employing a semi-structured interview schedule aligned with the Service Quality model (SERVQUAL), five dimensions--tangibles, assurance, empathy, reliability, and…

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…

Society's inadequate response to disability impacts people's physical health, social relationships and lives in general which can be perceived in the realms of family, friends, neighbours, psychological state and level of independence. The consequences of a disability can have an impact on multiple levels, the personal, interpersonal, family and…

This study assessed how an academic library implemented lean principles to enhance its electronic resource workflows and processes. Twelve librarians who managed access to electronic resources at the library participated in the study. Data were collected through interviews and observation. Reflexive thematic data analysis revealed that knowledge…

Learners with disabilities are faced with unprecedented challenges in their pursuit of integration in the institutionalized higher education system in South Africa. The aim of this paper is to explore the recruitment and integration of students with disabilities (SWDs) at selected rural universities in South Africa in terms of facilities for…

In South Africa most children with physical disabilities, including cerebral palsy, are still excluded from mainstream education. The purpose of this paper is to focus on a few successes and hear the voices of students themselves in exploring factors that "facilitated" their successful completion of mainstream schooling in Cape Town.…

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges attract a diverse population of students with different backgrounds in terms of culture, social norms, language, disabilities, race, and family structures. All such students have the right to equal access to education. However, there is still limited access and support to students…

More and more tertiary institutions are now focusing on the mainstreaming and inclusion of students with disabilities. Some higher education institutions (HEIs) in South Africa have established so-called Disability Units (DUs) to offer specialised services to students with disabilities, to facilitate access and integration of these students at…

It is almost impossible to perform academic activities, such as accessing study material or contacting lecturers and other teaching and learning processes, at an open distance learning institution without the use of computers and the internet. This article investigates and reports on the time taken by students with and without disabilities to…

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools provide an ideal mechanism by which students can interact closely with their lecturers in an open distance learning (ODL) context. This is especially true for students with disabilities who require access through alternative formats. This paper demonstrates teaching and learning practices in an…

Inclusive education is the term used to describe an education system in which all learners are accepted and fully included, educationally and socially. The process of inclusion proves to have challenges in developing countries such as South Africa which adopted it a bit later than the developed countries. Research has mentioned that amongst other…

Inclusive education is moulded by local factors. A qualitative case study was used to explore professionals' perceptions of inclusive education (IE) practice in local schools along with interventions for a support model in the schools. Observations, focus group interviews and individual interviews were used to collect data from teachers, school…

Academic libraries should be accessible to all students and relevant stakeholders. Students with print disabilities are found in many universities worldwide. This article examines the services and tools that are available at the North-West University (NWU) in South Africa. Literature was used to identify how services, signage, and tools that…

In higher education systems, equal importance must be given to differently abled students. However, not all educational institutions have infrastructure and facilities to admit these students even though accessibility and support for these students is growing. There are many schemes, facilities, services, and financial assistance available to…