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School accessibility for learners with visual impairment and blindness: a maturity model
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2023
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| _version_ | 1867613818739228672 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Coetser, Karlien |
| author2 | Grobbelaar, Sara Saartjie |
| author_browse | Coetser, Karlien Grobbelaar, Sara Saartjie |
| author_facet | Grobbelaar, Sara Saartjie Coetser, Karlien |
| author_sort | Coetser, Karlien |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/127048 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:11.774Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/127048 School accessibility for learners with visual impairment and blindness: a maturity model Coetser, Karlien Grobbelaar, Sara Saartjie Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering. Schools -- Design and construction – South Africa Learning curve (Industrial engineering) ¬– South Africa Inclusive education – South Africa Vision disorders – South Africa Barrier-free design -- South Africa Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Education White Paper 6 was released by the Department of Education in 2001, which states how schools can become more inclusive. This relates to guidelines provided by the Salamanca Agreement. This research study is based upon these two guidelines with the primary objective of creating a school maturity model, measuring the school’s readiness to accommodate learners with visual impairment and blindness. Furthermore, to lessen the burden placed on the school regarding the amount of accommodation needed to create an inclusive learning environment, this research study aimed to rate the possible accommodation according to an importance-effort matrix. This matrix informs the school which accommodations are essential and require the least effort to implement. The Design Science Research Process was used to conduct the study. It consisted of two relevance cycles, one rigour cycle and several design cycles. These cycles allowed the researcher to include relevant information in the maturity model and to further refine the data. The Relevance cycle included the development of a study protocol approved by the Research Ethics Committee (REC) of the University of Stellenbosch. The second relevance cycle included a literature review. This information was then categorised into seven categories: School Infrastructure, Human Resources, Non-Human Resources, Teacher Support & Development, Teaching & Learning, Recreation, and Community Engagement. The Rigour cycle consisted of expert reviews. Individuals with either personal or professional experience with visual impairment and blindness rated the accommodations according to their importance and the amount of effort needed to implement them. The effort related to the amount of human and non-human resources required. Afterwards, two case studies were conducted to refine and test the designs. One mainstream and one special school were evaluated and rated according to the school maturity model. The results from the expert review and the case studies provided insight into which accommodations are critical and which are “nice-to-have”. Although most of the accommodations were rated as being essential, the participant’s comments indicated that the most crucial accommodation is awareness. Teaching and other school staff members should be made aware of the wide range of diagnoses; it is not necessary to understand details regarding each diagnosis. Furthermore, they should receive basic training regarding decluttering areas, improving lighting, and increasing contrast of potentially hazardous and regularly used areas. The two case studies clarified that not all accommodations are needed to create an inclusive learning environment. When the above is applied, the children can learn to cope within their environment. Some children may need more support than others, so it is essential for the school to communicate with the learners and their caregivers to determine the optimal amount of support required and how it can be achieved within the school’s budget and by using the available resources. AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Die Education White Paper 6 was gepubliseer in 2001 deur die Departement van Onderwys. Die dokument dui aan hoe skole meer inklusief kan word. Hierdie riglyne is verwant aan die riglyne voorgeskryf deur die Salamanca Agreement. Hierdie navorsings studie is gebaseer op die twee stelle riglyne met die doel om ‘n skool volwassenheids model te ontwerp, om te meet hoe gereed skole is om leerders met visuele gestremdhede of blindheid in hul skool te akkommodeer. Verder, om die las op skole te verminder, het hierdie studie moontlike aanpassings gegradeer volgens ‘n matriks. Die matriks wys die impak teenoor hoeveel menslike en nie-menslike hulpbronne benodig word. Dus, wys dit watter akkommodasie is die belangrikste en benodig die minste hulpbronne. Die Design Science Research proses was gebruik in die studie. Dit bestaan uit twee toepaslike siklusse, een strengheids- en ‘n aantal ontwerp siklussse. Die siklusse stel die navorser in staat om slegs toepaslike inligting in die model in te sluit, en om dan die model verder te verfyn.. Die toepaslikheids-siklus bestaan uit n protokol wat goedgekeur is deur die Navorsing Etiese Komitee (REC) van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. Die tweede siklus bestaan uit ‘n literatuurstudie. Die inligting is gekategoriseer in sewe afdelings: Skool Infrastruktuur, Menslike Hulpbronne, Nie-Menslike Hulpbronne, Onderwys Ondersteuning en Ontwikkeling, Onderrig en Lering, Rekreasie, en Gemeenskaps-Deelname. Die strengheid siklus bestaan uit deskundige oorsig. Individue met professionele of persoonlike ondervinding met visuele gestremdhede en blindheid het die akkomoderings gegradeer volgens belangrikheid en die moeite om dit te implementeer, wat verwant is aan die hoeveelheid hulpbronne benodig. Daarna was twee gevallestudies uitgevoer; een op ‘n hoofstroom skool en een op 'n spesiale skool. Albei was geëvalueer en gegradeer volgens die volwassendheids-model. Die resultate van die deskundige oorsig en die gevallestudies gee insig rakende watter akkomoderings krities is en watter nie. Die meeste van die akkommoderings was gegradeer as baie belangrik, maar volgens die deelnemers se kommentaar is dit duidelik dat die belangrikste akkommodasie verbeterde bewustheid is. Alle personeel moet bewus gemaak word van die verskillende klassifikasies van visuele gestremdheid en blindheid, maar dit is nie nodig om al die besonderhede te ken nie. Verder behoort hulle basiese opleiding te ontvang oor hoe om areas netjies te hou, om beligting te verbeter en om potensieel gevaarlike areas, of areas wat gereeld gebruik word, se kontras te verhoog. Vanuit die twee gevalle studies het dit duidelik geword dat slegs basiese aanpassings nodig is om ‘n skool toeganklik te maak vir leerders met visuele gestremdhede of blindheid. Wanneer die bogenoemde toegepas word kan die kinders leer om self aan te pas by enige omgewing. Sommige leerders sal meer ondersteuning nodig hê as ander, en daarom is dit belangrik vir die skool om met die leerders en die versorgers te kommunikeer en sodoende die nodige ondersteuning te bepaal en hoe dit bereik kan word binne die skool se begroting en deur die beskikbare hulpbronne. Masters 2023-02-13T12:35:04Z 2023-05-18T07:01:46Z 2023-02-13T12:35:04Z 2023-05-18T07:01:46Z 2023-02 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127048 en_ZA en_ZA Stellenbosch University xii, 180 pages : illustrations. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Schools -- Design and construction – South Africa Learning curve (Industrial engineering) ¬– South Africa Inclusive education – South Africa Vision disorders – South Africa Barrier-free design -- South Africa Coetser, Karlien School accessibility for learners with visual impairment and blindness: a maturity model |
| title | School accessibility for learners with visual impairment and blindness: a maturity model |
| title_full | School accessibility for learners with visual impairment and blindness: a maturity model |
| title_fullStr | School accessibility for learners with visual impairment and blindness: a maturity model |
| title_full_unstemmed | School accessibility for learners with visual impairment and blindness: a maturity model |
| title_short | School accessibility for learners with visual impairment and blindness: a maturity model |
| title_sort | school accessibility for learners with visual impairment and blindness a maturity model |
| topic | Schools -- Design and construction – South Africa Learning curve (Industrial engineering) ¬– South Africa Inclusive education – South Africa Vision disorders – South Africa Barrier-free design -- South Africa |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127048 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT coetserkarlien schoolaccessibilityforlearnerswithvisualimpairmentandblindnessamaturitymodel |