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Perspectives of rehabilitation professionals on assistive technology provision for young children with disabilities in South Africa
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2018.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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University of Pretoria
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613503459688448 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Dada, Shakila |
| author_browse | Dada, Shakila |
| author_facet | Dada, Shakila |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2018. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/107662 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:37:11.117Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/107662 Perspectives of rehabilitation professionals on assistive technology provision for young children with disabilities in South Africa Dada, Shakila shakila.dada@up.ac.za Tonsing, Kerstin Monika Van Niekerk, Karin UCTD Assistive technology selection Assistive technology selection framework Bestworst survey Rehabilitation professional Sequential exploratory mixed methods design Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2018. When assistive technology is selected for young children within a context with limited resources such as South Africa, research is needed to determine the factors influencing the recommendation and provision process. This is necessary as these factors could either facilitate or hinder the accessibility and availability of assistive technology that is adaptable, affordable, acceptable and high quality. The aim of this study was to identify the factors perceived by rehabilitation professionals to influence the recommendation and provision of assistive technology to young children within the South African context and to determine the extent to which these factors are perceived as influential. The study followed a sequential exploratory mixed methods design. The qualitative phase of the study consisted of a systematic review of studies identifying factors influencing assistive technology provision to children, as well as two online focus groups with South African rehabilitation professionals experienced in recommending and providing assistive technology to young children. The qualitative phase enabled the researcher to adapt an existing assistive technology selection framework for use with young children within the South African context. The adapted theoretical framework was utilised to construct a best-worst questionnaire, where participants were asked to select the items (corresponding to factors of the adapted theoretical framework) that were most and least influential on their assistive technology provision. The survey was distributed electronically and completed by 451 rehabilitation professionals throughout South Africa. Analysis of the results enabled the researcher to confirm the inclusion of the identified factors in the adapted theoretical framework and identify a rank order of factors that influence the recommendation and provision of assistive technology in South Africa, as perceived by rehabilitation professionals. Differences between the perceptions of professionals with various years of experience were explored to illustrate the influence of experience on reasoning regarding assistive technology provision. FUNDING : For their financial contribution at different stages of this study – the Research Office of the University of Pretoria, the National Research Foundation (Tutuka Grantholder linked bursary TTK 150708124127) obtained through Prof. Dada, as well as the Margaret McNamara Education Grant South Africa Programme. This financial support enabled me to complete this study. Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC) PhD (Thesis) Restricted Faculty of Humanities SDG-02: Zero Hunger SDG-03: Good health and well-being 2026-01-28T09:14:46Z 2026-01-28T09:14:46Z 2019-02-07 2019-02 Thesis * A2019 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/107662 N/A en © 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | UCTD Assistive technology selection Assistive technology selection framework Bestworst survey Rehabilitation professional Sequential exploratory mixed methods design Perspectives of rehabilitation professionals on assistive technology provision for young children with disabilities in South Africa |
| title | Perspectives of rehabilitation professionals on assistive technology provision for young children with disabilities in South Africa |
| title_full | Perspectives of rehabilitation professionals on assistive technology provision for young children with disabilities in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Perspectives of rehabilitation professionals on assistive technology provision for young children with disabilities in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perspectives of rehabilitation professionals on assistive technology provision for young children with disabilities in South Africa |
| title_short | Perspectives of rehabilitation professionals on assistive technology provision for young children with disabilities in South Africa |
| title_sort | perspectives of rehabilitation professionals on assistive technology provision for young children with disabilities in south africa |
| topic | UCTD Assistive technology selection Assistive technology selection framework Bestworst survey Rehabilitation professional Sequential exploratory mixed methods design |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/107662 |