A critical analysis of the inclusion of students with disabilities in South African research-intensive universities using the revised 4-A Framework

Abstract

The rights of all persons to be granted equal access to higher education are espoused in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. More recently, attention has focused on the provision of inclusive education specifically for students with disabilities. In, amongst others, the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), inclusive education has been promoted as an appropriate vehicle to realise equal participation of students with disabilities in all levels of education. Following a history of exclusivity of educational opportunities in South Africa, higher education practitioners and policymakers should critically engage in strategic efforts that address barriers against students with disabilities to promote diversity and inclusion consistent with international human rights instruments. Furthermore, an in-depth intersectional analysis of the myriad of factors that hinder the full inclusion of students with disabilities is required. Utilising critical disability theory as a theoretical approach, this study's main aim was to analyse how students with disabilities are included in the disability policy and in praxis of South African research-intensive universities in accordance with the 4-A Framework. This Framework's markers, namely availability, accessibility, acceptability, and adaptability, were operationalized for the higher education context and expanded to include a fifth marker, affordability. A deductive qualitative thematic analysis, using a protocol based on these markers was used to analyse disability policies of South African Tier 1 universities and the perceptions of students with disabilities registered at these institutions. Results suggest that the disability policies made mention of provisions related to availability, accessibility, and acceptability. Policy provisions related to adaptability were not uniformly mentioned. Affordability was neglected and not given due regard. Overall, participants perceived their universities as being available. Many of the indicators relating to accessibility, acceptability were not mentioned in the participants’ responses. Adaptability was generally perceived to be met, and participants were ambivalent in their responses relating to affordability. Students with disabilities appear to have limited expectations regarding their rights to be realised (internalised ableism). The thesis ends by discussing the implications of the findings and recommendations for future research.