Leveraging empowerment for those students with disabilities: Towards creating an inclusive university education framework

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue II, February 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186

Leveraging empowerment for those students with disabilities: Towards creating an inclusive university education framework

Kwaedza Muranda-Kaseke¹, Mbawuya Kudzai Dorcas^2
1Department of Development Studies, Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Zimbabwe Open University
²Department of Information Science and Records Management, Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Zimbabwe Open University

Abstract: Globally, people with disabilities are estimated to amount to more than one billion persons, accounting for about 15 per cent of the world population. Nevertheless, though they encompass a substantial assemblage with a potential to contribute to development and society, they have most often been excluded from the development agenda as well as empowerment through university education. This is made visible by the prevalence of existing barriers. Using a human rights-based approach, this study was aimed at advocating for inclusive education using universities as a tool for leveraging empowerment for those living with disabilities. Data for the study was collected through in-depth interviews based on the qualitative approach. A relevant sample of sixteen respondents from 2 universities was selected through criteria purposive sampling while analysis of data was premised on thematic analysis. Study findings indicated that barriers underlying university education frameworks and the general socio-economic environment have continued to negatively impact on those living with disabilities. In the end, the study recommended that inclusive education and development frameworks should be adopted to create opportunities, share the benefits of development and participate in decision-making. To realise inclusive university education, diversity should be noted as an essential facet of social, economic and human development.

Key words: empowerment, disabilities, inclusive education, impairments, barriers dynamics

I. INTRODUCTION

It has been shown that worldwide, people with disabilities have been marginalised owing to discriminatory tendencies particularly in the institutions of higher learning. This is despite the views by Higbee (2003) that in inclusive institutions of higher education no student should be an afterthought. Dalen (2003) Disability is an important dimension along which discrimination occurs, and this may be particularly marked in the case of the education of girls having some form of disability. In the same vein, UNESCO (2010) argues that disability is recognised as one of the most potent factors creating educational marginalisation for children around the world (UNESCO, 2010). Countless people with disabilities do not have equal access to health care, education, and employment opportunities, do not receive the disability-related services that they require, and experience exclusion from everyday life activities (WHO, 2011).

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