Access denied? The holistic lived experience of disabled students at Stellenbosch University : 1986-2007

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores the holistic lived experience of physically disabled students who studiedat Stellenbosch University (SU) between 1986, the national year of the disabled and 2007,when the first dedicated disability unit was established at SU. Although this period reflects agenerally transitional phase in wider South African history, with an increased emphasis onsocial equality, the consideration of the position of disabled individuals in this narrative islargely under-represented. The institutional and social elements of university life are exploredas both constitute an integrated student life, while the specific position of disabled students isconsidered from a variety of angles. Official archival material provides insight intoinstitutional responses to the question of disability. Societal narratives concerning disabilityare explored through an investigation of the disability-related articles which appeared in theStellenbosch University publications Matieland and Die Matie between 1986 and 2007.Individual elements are also incorporated through a small-scale qualitative study consistingof 11 individual semi-structured interviews with physically disabled SU alumni.A non-linear narrative emerges throughout this period, in the sense that improvements anddevelopments did not follow in any particular chronological order. The reasons for this arevaried and cannot be limited to any single element. The institutional environment makesprovision for disabled students in various ways, but a gap in the dissemination of informationis evident, indicating that students were not always aware of available accommodations andservices. Stellenbosch University was revealed to have a particularly long history ofaccommodating blind and partially sighted students as well as disability sport. A total of 83articles from Matieland and Die Matie were explored. These also indicate a non-linearportrayal of disability issues and often vacillate between depictions of disabled students as 'superheroes' or 'sub-humans.' Interview data revealed that disabled individuals werefrequently encouraged to pursue a university education, although access to information andthe built environment remained an issue. The independent initiative on the part of disabledstudents and individual involvement of various staff members were key factors in facilitatingsuccess in the institutional environment. Disabled students were revealed to have vastlydiverse social experiences which were linked to neither type of disability nor period of study.They participated in the social environment through a variety of networks while at universityand encountered various public responses to their disability. Ultimately, this study indicates that physically disabled students navigated the university experience at SU between 1986 and2007 with various levels of institutional and social support.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University