Unisa Midlands Region focuses on students living with disabilities

The Unisa Midlands Region, in partnership with the Advocacy Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD), hosted a capacity-building workshop for regional staff members at the Unisa Rustenburg Hub on 16 May 2024. The aim of the workshop was to improve student support services and advocacy activities and to promote the accessibility of services for students with disabilities on their academic journeys at Unisa.

Staff who attended the workshop

Bheki Nxumalo, Acting Deputy Director of ARCSWiD in the Department of Student Affairs, indicated that ARCSWiD has a mandate to create an enabling teaching, learning, research, and student engagement environment that fosters a sense of belonging among students living with disabilities. Fulfilling this mandate includes ensuring adherence to the principles of equality, inclusion, individual support, reasonable accommodation, partnership with stakeholders, and access to success.

The workshop was aimed at promoting staff members’ awareness and understanding of the different types of disability and their impact, and the challenges faced by students living with disabilities. It focused on improving staff members’ communication skills, thus enabling them to better support the needs of students living with disabilities. Possible solutions to challenges that may hinder the participation of students with disabilities in activities within the university were also presented at the workshop.

The information shared at the workshop included, among other things, the purpose of learning sign language, the fundamentals of sign language, support services that are available, orientation, mobility, and practical ways of assisting people living with disabilities. Providing support to students with disabilities involves creating support networks, sharing best practices, and promoting a positive attitude. People living with disabilities should be encouraged to participate in institutional forums and meetings so that their voices can be heard.

Representatives of the Advocacy Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD)

Sophy Mabaso, a sign language interpreter, indicated that sign language allows individuals to express themselves, to convey information, and to engage without relying on spoken language. In sign language, different signs represent words and concepts. Hand movements are an important part of sign language as they convey emotions. Mabaso urged staff to support students with disabilities by using various communication channels, collaborating with service units, and providing emotional support. Students should also be encouraged to be proactive and to engage with academics. “It is our responsibility to assist every student living with a disability,” she said.

Vukati Ndlovu, a student advisor of ARCSWiD, pointed out that it is important for students to disclose their disability status since they will then have the opportunity to receive the appropriate support, which may enhance their study performance. She indicated that some prospective students with disabilities choose not to disclose their disabilities out of fear of stigmatisation and discrimination, adding that staff should encourage them to disclose their disabilities so that they can be informed of the benefits and support services for which they qualify.

* By Thotogelo Masenya, Communication and Marketing Officer, Unisa Midlands Region