Exploring experiences of visually impaired students on support services in higher education institutions in Lesotho

Abstract

Agtergrond en doelwit: Hoëronderwysinstellings word in baie lande as die toppunt van die onderwysstelsel beskou. Hierdie instellings speel ’n belangrike rol in die verskaffing van kwalifikasies aan hul studente, asook intellektuele en fisieke vaardighede wat nodig is vir innovasie, kreatiwiteit, selfstandigheid en hoe om maatskaplike en ekonomiese eise die hoof te bied. Die insluiting en toelating van mense met gestremdhede het die diversiteit in die studentegemeenskap verhoog. Die toelating van mense met gestremdhede het opsigself ook ’n stel faktore en eise vir gesiggestremde studente meegebring, wat veelvuldige ervarings gehad het. Hierdie navorsing het ten doel gehad om hul daaglikse ervarings van verskeie beskikbare ondersteuningsdienste vir studente by twee hoëronderwysinstellings in Lesotho te ondersoek om die beduidende leemtes in die bestaande literatuur uit te lig. In die konteks van Lesotho is baie literatuur rakende kwessies oor gestremdhede, spesifiek oor gesiggestremdheid, in onderriginstellings gepubliseer. Min studies en navorsing het egter aandag gegee aan die ondersteuningsdienste wat aan studente verskaf word. ’n Waarderende ondersoek – as ’n teoretiese raamwerk – en ’n benadering gegrond op menseregte – as ’n konsepsuele raamwerk – is gevolg om te bepaal hoe gesiggestremdes deur ondersteuningsdienste in hul onderskeie instellings omhels, gevier en waardeer word. Die benadering gegrond op menseregte is gebruik om die ondersteuning aan gesiggestremdes te handhaaf wat hulle as regmatige studente in hoëronderwysinstellings kry. Metode: Die filosofiese onderbou van hierdie studie was die Interpretivistiese navorsingsmetodologie wat die navorser in staat gestel het om na te dink oor oortuigings, sienings en beginsels van die wêreld waarin ons leef. Die studie is gelei deur die fenomenologiese navorsingsontwerp om die deelnemers se persepsies, ervarings en perspektiewe ten opsigte van ondersteuningsdienste te verstaan. Nege (9) gesiggestremdes en dertien (13) amptenare van die studenteondersteuningsdienste van twee hoëronderwysinstellings het aan die studie deelgeneem. In-diepte onderhoude, narratiewe onderhoude en waarnemings is as data-insamelingsinstrumente gebruik. Die Interpretatiewe Fenomenologiese Analise (IFA) is gebruik om kwalitatiewe data te ontleed wat buigsaam en deelnemer-georiënteerd is om die werklike ervarings van gesiggestremde studente te bekom. Die IPA het die interpretasie van enkele eenhede toegelaat om die algemene verskynsels te weerspieël. Bevindings: Daar is verskeie bevindings gemaak wat verband hou met gesiggestremdes se ervaring van ondersteuningsdienste. Hoëronderwysinstellings het akademiese en nie-akademiese ondersteuningsdienste vir studente op hul akademiese pad. Bevindings is gemaak oor watter dienste by die instellings gesiggestremde studente die meeste van gebruik maak. Dienste soos die biblioteek, gesondheidsentrum, rekenaarlaboratorium, berading en voorligting is die ondersteuningsdienste waarvan die minste gebruik gemaak word. Studentesake, studentewelsyn en spesiale onderrigdienste word gedeeltelik deur gesiggestremde studente gebruik. Daar is geen leidende beginsels, modelle of beleidstellings wat gestremdheidskwessies in albei instellings lei of bestuur nie. Verdere bevindings is dat die tekort aan kundigheid, hulpmiddels en leermateriaal in die biblioteek nie net die gesiggestremde student se studies benadeel nie, maar ook lei tot negatiewe persepsies oor die gebruik van hierdie dienste. Eenhede vir gestremde studente moet toegerus word met meer hulpmiddels soos rekenaars waarop programme soos JAWS, skermlesers en vergrootglasse gelaai is. Die verhouding en houding van nie-gesiggestremde studente, dosente en ondersteuningspersoneel verskil van een gesiggestremde student tot die volgende. Die navorsing het ook bevind gesiggestremdes verskeie uitdagings in hul wonings ondervind, soos diefstal van hul besittings, swak lewensomstandighede en min sekuriteit. Gevolgtrekkings en implikasies: Navorsing bevind dat elke student se reis en ervarings uniek en dinamies is. Elke student het sy of haar hoogtepunte en laagtepunte teenoor verskillende ondersteuningsdienste wat ’n mens se akademiese sukses kan benadeel of verbeter. Hulle voel anders oor die verskillende dienste en hoe dit tot hul akademiese sukses kan lei. Om die akademiese en maatskaplike welstand en sukses van gesiggestremde studente te beskerm, is dit belangrik dat instellings dit oorweeg om gestremdheidsbeleidstellings te ontwikkel. Dit sal hul regte beskerm om gehalteonderrig te ontvang en te help om struikelblokke uit die weg te ruim wat hul akademiese sukses belemmer. Die ontwikkeling van ’n gestremdheidsbeleid en -riglyne sal ’n blyk van waardering en aanvaarding van diversiteit in hoëronderwysinstellings wees.

𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗶𝗺: Higher education institutions (HEIs) are regarded as the apex of the education system in many countries of the world. These institutions play a leading role in providing qualifications for their students, intellectual and physical skills necessary for innovation, creativity, self-reliance, and to survive societal and economic demands. Inclusion and admission of persons with disabilities has increased diversity in the student population. The admission of persons with disabilities brings with itself a package of factors and demands among the visually impaired students (VIS) who encountered multi-faced experiences. This study aimed to explore the daily experiences of VISs towards various available student support services in two Lesotho higher education institutions to address a significant gap in the existing literature. In the context of Lesotho, much literature has been published on disability issues specifically on visual impairment in educational institutions. However, limited studies and research addressed the support services provided to students. Appreciative inquiry, as a theoretical framework and a human rights-based approach as a conceptual framework were triangulated to establish how VISs are embraced, celebrated and appreciated by support services in their respective institutions. The human rights-based approach was used to uphold the support offered to VISS as education rights holders in higher education institutions.

𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱: The philosophical underpinning of this study was the Interpretivism paradigm that enabled the researcher to make reflections on beliefs, views and principles about the world that one lives in. The study was guided by the phenomenological research design to understand the participants‟ perceptions, experiences and perspectives towards support services. Nine (9) VISs and thirteen (13) student support services officials in two higher education institutions participated in this study. In-depth interviews, narrative interviews and an observation adopting complete observer were used as data collection tools. The Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyse qualitative data which is flexible and participant-oriented to acquire the real-life experiences of visually impaired students. The IPA allowed the interpretation of single units to reflect the general patterns across units.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: several findings relating to the experiences of VISs towards support services were made. Higher education institutions have academic and non-academic support services for student in their academic journey. The findings are that disability the units are the most favoured and used support services by VISs in the institutions. The library, health centre, computer lab, counselling and guidance services are the least used support services. Student affairs, student welfare and special education services are partially used by visually impaired students. There are no guiding principles, models or policies guiding and governing disability issues in both institutions. Further findings are that lack of expertise, assistive devices or lack of learning material in the library not only compromise the learning by VISs but they also influence negative perceptions towards the use of these services. Disability units must be equipped with more assistive devices such as desktops with JAWS, screen readers and magnifiers. The relationship and attitude of non-visually impaired students, lecturers and support staff differs from one visually impaired student to the next. The study finds that VISs encounter several challenges in their residences including theft of properties, poor living conditions, and poor security.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: The study concludes that the journey and experiences of each student are dynamic. Each student has his or her highs and lows towards different support services that may compromise or enhance one's academic success. To safeguard the academic and social well-being and success of visually impaired students, it is important for institutions to consider developing disability policies that will guide disability issues. This will protect their rights to receiving quality education, eradicating learning and teaching barriers that hinder their academic success. Development of a disability policy and guidelines will be a token of appreciating and embracing diversity in higher education institutions.

Isendlalelo nenhloso: Izikhungo zemfundo ephakame (HEI) zithathwa njengengqikithi yohlelo lwezemfundo emazweni amaningi. Lezizikhungo zidlala iqhaza elikhulu ekunikezeleni ngeziqu kubafundi bazo, amakhono omqondo kanye nabonakalayo abalulekile kulesi sikhathi sezobuchwepheshe, amakhono, ukuzethemba kanye nokukwazi ukuphila ezimweni ezinzima zempilo kanye nezomnotho. Ukubandakanywa kanye nokuvunyelwa kwabantu abaphila ngokukhubazeka sekube nomthelela ekwenyukeni kwezinga lokwehluka kubafundi basenyuvesi. Ukuvunyelwa kwabantu abaphila nokukhubazeka nakho kuqhamuka nemithelela yakho kanye nezimfuno ikakhulukazi kulaba abanenkinga yokubona (Visually Impaired Students-VIS) okuyibona ababhekana nezimo eziningi ezihlukene. Lolucwaningo beluhlose ukuthola izimo abafundi abanenkinga yokubona ababhekana nazo nsukuzonke kanye nezinsiza ezikhona ukubalekelela ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme ezimbili zaseLesotho ngenhloso yokuvala igebe elikhona emibhalweni ekhona njengamanje. Ngokwesimo saseLesotho, miningi imibhalo esishicileliwe mayelana nezindaba ezithinta ukukhubazeka ikakhulukazi okuhlobene nokungaboni emehlweni ezikhungweni zemfundo. Kodwa-ke, zincane kakhulu izifundo kanye nocwaningo osekwenziwe ukubheka izinhlelo zokusiza abafundi ezikhona. Uhlaka lwetiyori eyaziwa ngokuthi i-Appreciative enquiry kanye ne-human rights-based approach njengohlaka lomqondo wocwaningo ikhona okwasetshenziswa ukuthola ukuthi abafundi abangaboni kahle emehlweni bamukelwa kanjani, bagujwa kanjani futhi lezinhlelo zokubalekelela zibasiza kanjani ezikhungweni zabo. Ihuman rights-based approach yasetshenziswa ukuxhasa ukweseka okunikweza kubafundi abanenkinga yokubona njengabantu abanamalungelo okufunda ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme. Indlela yokwenza: Ifilosofi esetshenziswe kulolucwaningo kube i-interpretivism paradigm yona evumela umcwaningi ukuba akwazi ukubhekisisa izinkolelo, imibono kanye nemigomo mayelana nomhlaba esiphila kuwo. Ucwaningo beluholwa uhlelo locwaningo lwefinominoloji ngenhloso yokuqonda imibono, ulwazi kanye nemicabango mayelana nezinsisa ezikhona zokulekela abafundi. Abafundi abanenkinga yokubona abayi-9 kanye nabasebenzi bomnyango obhekelele izinsiza zabafundi abayi-13 abavela ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme ezimbili ibona ababambe iqhaza kulolucwaningo. Izingxoxo ezigxilile, izingxoxo ezichazwayo kanye nokubukela okwenzekayo ikhona okusetshenzisiwe ukuqoqa ulwazi. I-Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) iyona eyasetshenziswa ukuhlaziya idatha ekhwalithethivu okuyiyona elula ukuyisebenzisa negxila kakhulu kubabambiqhaza ukuthola ulwazi kanye nesipiliyoni ngezimo zokuphila zabafundi abanenkinga yokubona emehlweni. I-IPA ivumele ukuhunyushwa kwamayunithi angawodwa ukuze kuboniswe amaphethini avamile kuwo wonke amayunithi. Okutholakele: Kuningi okutholakele mayelana nesipiliyoni sabafundi abanenkinga yokubona mayelana nosizo abaluthola eminyangweni obhekelele izinsiza zabafundi. Izikhungo zemfundo ephakeme zinamasevisi ahlobene nesikole nalawa angahlobene nesikole ukulekelela abafundi ohambweni lwabo lwemfundo ephakeme. Umtapo wolwazi, isikhungo sezempilo, amalebhu amakhompyutha, amasevisi ezokululekwa ngokomqondo kanye nokuhlenga iwona amasevisi alekelela abafundi angasetshenziswa kakhulu. Umnyango wezindaba zabafundi, owezokuphatheka kwabafundi kanye namasevisi emfundo ebalulekile izona zindawo ezingasetshenziswa kakhulu ngabafundi abanenkinga yokubona. Ayikho imigomo elawulayo, amamodeli, noma amapholisi alawula izindaba zokukhubazeka kuzo zombili izikhungo. Okunye okutholakele ukuthi abekho ongcweti, amadivayisi alekelelayo kanye nokushoda kwezinsiza zokufunda kumtapo wolwazi okungezinye zezinto ezingagcini ngokucindezela abafundi abanenkinga yokubona kodwa ezidala ukuthi kube khona imibono engemihle ngawo lamasevisi. Amayunithi abhekelele ezokukhubazeka kumele abe namadivayisi alekelelayo njengamakhompyutha ano-JAWS, izinsiza zokufunda iskrini kanye nama-magnifaya. Ubudlelwano phakathi kwabafundi abangenayo inkinga yokubona kanye nothisha buyehluka kumfundi ngamunye ophila nenkinga yokubona. Ucwaningo luthole ukuthi abafundi abanenkinga yokubona babhekana nezinselelo eziningi ezindaweni zokuhlala ngaphakathi esikoleni njengokuntshontshelwa impahla yabo, izindawo zokuhlala ezingekho esimweni kanye nezokuphepha ezingekho ezingeni. Iziphetho kanye nemithelela: Ucwaningo luphetha ngokuthi uhambo kanye nesipiliyoni somfundi ngamunye angeke kufane ngoba kuyehluka. Umfundi ngamunye unezinto ezinhle nezimbi angazisho mayelana namasevisi ahlukene angabeka ukuphumelela kwakhe engcupheni noma kumelekelele. Ukuvikela ukuphumelela kwabafundi abanenkinga yokubona esikoleni kanye nasempilweni nje, kubakukekile ukuthi izikhungo zithuthukise amapholisi azolekelela ukuqhamuka nezisombulelo ezinkingeni ezihlobene nokukhubazeka. Lokhu kuzovikela amalungelo abo okuthola ulwazi oluyikhwalithi, ukususa izinkinga ezikhona ezihlobene nokufunda kanye nokufundisa ezingaba nomthelela ekuphumeleleni kwabo. Ukuthuthukiswa kwepholisi yokukhubazeka kanye nemigomo kungaba into engathakaseleka ukubona nokuhlonipha ukubaluleka kokwehluka kwabantu ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme.

Kakaretso le sepheo: Ditsi tsa thuto e phahameng (HEIs) di tadingwa e le sehlohlolo sa thuto dinaheng tse ngata tsa lefatshe. Ditsi tsena di bapala karolo ya bohlokwa ya ho etella batho pele ka ho fana ka mangolo a thuto ho baithuti, bahlalefi le ba ditsebo tsa mesebetsi ya matsoho e hlokehang bakeng sa boitshimollelo, boqapi, boitshepo le ho qoba ditlhoko tsa setjhaba le tsa moruo. Ho kenyelletsa le ho amohela batho ba bokowa ho tlisa sehlopha sa diqholotso le ditebello ho baithuti ba nang le bothata ba pono (VIS) ba bileng le diqholotso tsa mefuta diphihlelong tsa bona. Diphuputso tsena di reretswe ho sibolla diphihlelo tsa baithuti ba nang le bokowa ba pono mme di tadimane le ditshebeletso tse fapakaneng tse teng tse tshehetsang baithuti ditsing tsa thuto e phahameng hore di tle di fumane tharollo ya bohlokwa ya sekgeo se teng ho dingolwa tse teng. Boemong ba Lesotho, bophatlalatsi ba boithuto ka ditaba tsa bokowa haholoholo ba kgaello ya pono ditsing tsa thuto e phahameng bo bongata. Leha ho le jwalo, ke diphuputso tse fokolang tseo ka ho otloloha di hlahlobileng bokowa ba pono ditsing tsa thuto e phahameng. Lewa la ho fuputsa ka ho ananela ( Appreciation enquiry), le lewa la ditokelo tsa mantlha tsa botho, e le lewa la moralo wa monahano tse entseng dikgutlo tse tharo ho senola bokowa ba pono, di kenyelleditswe, kgakotswe le ho ananelwa ka ditshebeletso tsa tshehetso ditsing tsa bona tsa thuto ka ho fapana. Lewa la ditokelo tsa mantlha tsa botho le sebedisitswe ho phahamisa tshebetso e fanwang ho batho ba nang le bokowa ba pono e le balaodi ba tokelo ya thuto ditsing tsa thuto e phahameng. Mokgwa wa diphuputso: Mokgwa o tsheheditseng diphuputso tsena ke mokgwa wa katamelo ka botoloki e le se entseng hore mofuputsi a hetle ka ditumelong, maikutlong le melawana ya lefatshe leo motho a phelang ho lona. Boithuto bona bo laotswe ke boithuto ba diphuputso tsa boiphihlelo ba mofuputsi le boiphihlelo ba bankakarolo diphuputsong ho utlwisisa tjhadimo mabapi le ditshebeletso tsa tshehetso. Bankakarolo ba robong ba bokowa ba pono, le baithuti ba leshome le metso e meraro ba ditshebeletso tsa tshehetso ditsing tsa thuto e phahameng, e bile bankakarolo boithutong bona. Dipotso tsa patlisiso e tebileng, dipotso tsa patlisiso ka phetelo kapa puisano le ho sheba tse kenyeletsang ho sheba ho phethehileng, di sebedisitswe e le disebediswa tsa ho bokella ditaba. Mokgwa wa diphuputso kantle ho diteko, empa ka bohlalosi, e le mokgwa o itshetlehileng ho ditsebo tsa mofuputsi, le ditsebo tsa bafuputsuwa, ho manolla (IPA) o sebedisitse ho manolla ditaba tse neng di dumella bankakarolo ho fumana diphihlelo tsa nnete tsa bophelo tsa baithuti ba foufetseng. IPA e dumelletse ho hlaloswa ka dikarolwana tsa bonngwe ho bontsha sebopeho se tshwanang sa dikarolwana. Tse fihleletsweng: Ditshibollo tse mmalwa tse amanang le diphihlello tsa batho ba foufetseng mabapi le ditshebetso tsa tshehetso, di entswe. Ditsi tsa thuto e phahameng di na le basebetsi ba ditshebeletso tsa tlatsetso sebakeng sa leeto la baithuti la thuto. Ditshibollo di re dikarolwana tsa bokowa ke tsona tse thehwang mme tse sebediswang ke baithuti ba bokowa ba pono ditsing. Matlong a pokello ya dibuka, matlong a kokelo, matlong a dikhomputa, bohlabolling le ditshebeletsong tsa tataiso, ke moo ditshebeletso tsa tshehetso di fokolang ka ho fetisisa. Ditabeng tsa baithuti, tlhokomelong ya bona, le ditshebeletsong tsa thuto tse ikgethang, ho na le karolwana e sebediswang ke baithuti ba foufetseng. Ha ho na melawana e tataisang, mehlala le maano a tataisang le ho laola ditaba tsa bokowa ditsing. Diphihlello tse ding ke ho re ha ho na batho ba iphihletseng, disebediswa tse thusang le kgaello ya disebediswa tsa ho ithuta matlong a pokello ya dibuka, tsena ha di fokodise thuto ya ba nang le bokowa ba pono feela empa di susumetsa tjhadimo e monyemo mabapi le tshebediso ya ditshebeletso tsena. Dikarolwana tsa bokowa di lokela ho hlokomelwa ka disebediswa tse tshehetsang jwalo ka dikhomputha tsa MEMO (Jaws), screen readers le dihodisi. Dikamano tsa baithuti ba se nang bokowa ba pono, barupedi le basebetsi ba ditshebeletso tsa tlatsetso ho tloha ho moithuti ya nang le bokowa ba pono ho ya ho e mong. Boithuto bona bo sibollotse hore batho ba nang le bokowa ba pono ba thulane le diqholotso tse ngata tse kenyelletsang le boshodu ba thepa, bodulo bo bobe le tshebeletso ya tshireletso e mpe. Diqeto le ditlamorao: Boithuto bona bo etsa qeto ya hore leeto le diphihlello tsa moithuti ka mong di a fetofetoha. Moithuti ka mong o na le mathata mabapi le ditshebeletso tsa tshehetso tse fokodisang kapa tse ntlafatsang katleho dithutong. Ho sireletsa ba dithuto le ba bophelo bo botle le katleho ya baithuti ba nang le bokowa ba pono, ho bohlokwa hore ditsi di ele hloko ho etsa maano a baithuti ba foufetseng a tla ba tataisa ditabeng. Sena se tla sireletsa ditokelo tsa bona hore ba fumane thuto ya boleng, ho fediswe ditshita tsa boithuto le ho ruta tse sitisang katleho ya thuteho ya bona. Ho etswa ha leano la baithuti ba bokowa le letooto la tataiso e tla ba mpho ya kananelo le ho kenyelletsa ho se tshwane ditsing tsa thuto e phahameng.