Abstract
People with disabilities (PWDs) have always been at the peripheral of formal education programmes. Historically their education has been a result of handouts from benevolent missionaries and NGOs. Studies have shown that people with disabilities if afforded the chance to learn can also perform as well as any able bodied person benefiting and achieving adequate independent living standards (Chimedza and Peters, 2001). Key to meaningful and effective inclusion is the creation and provision of suitable study materials (Modesto and Tau, 2009). This study, therefore, was on how Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) is including PWDs in its programmes specifically focusing on the creation and provision of appropriate study materials. A qualitative survey design using a semi structured interview schedule was used to collect data from Department chairpersons, the Academic registry managers and the Materials Development Unit (MDU) editors. Themes were developed from the collected data and analysed. The findings show that ZOU is including PWDs but is facing problems of developing and providing adequate study materials for some disabilities. The study recommends that disability specialists be involved in the creation and development of study materials both in print and electronically. Collaboration with organization of and for people with disabilities and other Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institutions will help bring critical expertise together to improve the inclusion of many PWDs into ODL.
Highlights
Open and distance learning (ODL) is not the preserve of a selected few but was meant for all those who had not had an opportunity for tertiary education for various reasons (Peters 200o)
Zimbabwe was not an exception, they were many correspondence colleges these mainly catered for the hordes of black youths who were denied a university education by the narrow selection entrance system after the completion of primary education which existed before independence in 1980
The literature looks at the following areas; who are the People with disabilities (PWDs) who have self included themselves into Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programmes; current policy on inclusion in ODL; the development and distribution of study material; the PWDs experiences of ODL study material and provision and lastly ways in which study material challenges can be overcome
Summary
Open and distance learning (ODL) is not the preserve of a selected few but was meant for all those who had not had an opportunity for tertiary education for various reasons (Peters 200o). People with disabilities (PWDs) have always been at the peripheral for formal education This naturally places them as one of the candidates of ODL. Peters (2000) points out that in South Africa the University of South Africa (UNISA) was able to offer university education to many of black Africans who were denied this by the apartheid education system which favoured white people. Zimbabwe was not an exception, they were many correspondence colleges these mainly catered for the hordes of black youths who were denied a university education by the narrow selection entrance system after the completion of primary education which existed before independence in 1980. In this paper I will focus on what is being done by the Zimbabwe Open University to provide access to PWDS through the development and provision of study material in some of its programmes
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