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The expectation for universities to support students' employability through work-integrated learning placements demands investigation into how opportunities are inclusive to students from a diversity of backgrounds. In this paper, we explore the experiences of students with disabilities during work placements, drawing on qualitative data collected through six focus groups with students (n = 27). Analysed through the frame of stigma, the results show how students bear an unfair burden of responsibility in their placement experiences, as they shoulder consequential decisions to disclose and/or request accommodations to support their learning. In this study, work placement environments were often somewhat hostile, both in relation to their built environments but also through the bias and/or prejudice of others. The results shed light on the difficulties that students with disabilities face in their placements and underscore how educational equity is multi-layered, requiring scrutiny of the student life-course including access to opportunities in professional fields. Points of interest: Despite work integrated placements often being positioned as opportunities for students to 'try out' authentic work experiences during their time at university, placements are not inclusive to students with disabilities. Students with disabilities shoulder an unfair responsibility in their work placement experiences, where they must negotiate the decision of disclosure and/or request for accommodations. Students reported hostile work placement environments, and cultures of exclusion, demanding more investigation into how universities can ensure safe and appropriate learning environments for students on placement. Students recommend greater education and training for placement teams (i.e., academic unit chairs, professional coordinators) and industry supervisors to reduce stigma and combat entrenched assumptions about disability. Universities themselves must also reflect and act on how to support inclusive cultures, including supporting training and policy that embed a strengths-based lens of disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergency situations such as pandemics typically widen inequities, and Australian children and young people with disability already face significant inequities in the education system. In this paper we draw on survey data from over 700 respondents exploring education experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many families reported being left behind, finding it difficult to access education remotely, and that this was having a significant impact on wellbeing and mental health. We find that of all support offered by schools, social supports have a stronger association with learner engagement than educational interventions. This finding indicates the importance of social and emotional supports in learning. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted education for most learners; There is good evidence to suggest this impact is felt more keenly by students with disability, because there is disability discrimination in the Australian education system; This paper reports survey responses from over 700 families of students with disability exploring the impact of COVID-19 on education; Many families report being left behind and that students found it difficult to learn away from the school campus, which for many students and families led to poorer wellbeing and mental health; Our results suggest that supporting students to have social contact with peers made the biggest impact on students with disability feeling engaged with learning during this time. This shows it is important for teachers and schools to pay attention to social as well as educational aspects of school life when thinking about how to educate students with disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from basic education to higher education and, finally, to work, can be difficult to negotiate for any young person. Such a transition can be challenging, particularly within the current labour market conditions accompanying the social and economic changes facing developing industrial nations. Students with disabilities face additional challenges in their career development and school-to-work transition. The Open Distance Learning (ODL) institutions tend to be the first and only choice due to the limitations posed by contact universities. Drawing from the life stories of two female students with disabilities at an ODL institution, this article interrogates how these young women negotiated (and continue to negotiate) their respective career pathways. The students share specific aspirations for their career and life development, their experiences of studying at an ODL institution, as well as their perceived employment opportunities. Also discussed here, are recommendations for practice. People with disabilities do not receive adequate career development at school, or even upon entering higher education. Disability can influence how high, how quickly and how realistically young adults set career goals. People's negative attitudes, have created career barriers for students with disabilities. Students with disabilities can succeed in their careers, if they have formed a solid identity, are determined, have a support network and create an environment which is conducive for their growth. The role of career practitioners is critical in providing the necessary career path materials in accessible formats, opening the conversation with the students with disabilities so that they make informed decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how students with disabilities in Croatia perceive support, experience barriers and propose ways forward for equality of opportunities in the higher education system. In qualitative interviews, students were satisfied with the informal support they received from family and friends but dissatisfied with the formal support they received from universities and the government. Obstacles to inclusion included: inadequate transport and finance to attend university and minimal adaptation of buildings, toilets, lifts, classrooms and dormitories. Students proposed: investment in adapting buildings, personal assistants, educational grants and transport; coordination within the formal systems from national government to universities and non-governmental organisations; and measures to increase disability awareness for academics, professionals and other students within higher education. The situation for students with disabilities in Croatia is a reminder for those working in countries where policy and practice is relatively advanced that many disability battles are still to be won in newer nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored how individuals with disabilities in Shanghai perceive the accessibility of public spaces and their experiences of various barriers in transit to public spaces. We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with community-dwelling individuals with mild to severe physical, sensory, and multiple disabilities (N = 16). Our findings suggest that despite government efforts to improve accessibility, participants still perceived public spaces to be inaccessible. They encountered physical barriers, social barriers, and unusable accessible facilities in the process of accessing public spaces. Their sense of being a burden to family caregivers also compelled participants to limit their mobility radius. Despite some participants' attempts to advocate for their mobility and accessibility rights, they ultimately chose to compromise when their efforts were not acknowledged. This study seeks to inform policy and practice by increasing understanding of public space accessibility from the perspectives of people with disabilities in urban China. This study is among the first to explore what people with disabilities experience when going to public spaces in urban China, and how they understand these experiences. People with disabilities in Shanghai face various difficulties when going to public spaces. Although there are facilities designed to assist people with disabilities in moving around public spaces in Shanghai, these facilities are often occupied, blocked, or broken, and thus cannot be properly used. Most study participants chose to stay at home and in familiar places to avoid difficulties in going to public spaces and burdening their family members. Participants who tried to advocate for their rights gave up after their efforts were not responded to. Policymakers and practitioners should understand the difficulties of people with disabilities and their families when they go to public spaces and include them when developing and implementing relevant policies and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing stigma is key to improving the wellbeing of people with albinism in Tanzania. This study aimed to obtain more insight into the effects of two radio interventions with regard to albinism-related stigma: a radio drama and a radio interview. Assessment of the radio interventions was based on two attitude measurement instruments (The Albinism Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue Community Stigma Scale and the Albinism Social Distance Scale), an entertainment scale, and two informal (group) interviews. In total, 111 community members participated in the assessment prior to the radio drama, and 65 after. In the case of the radio interview, 123 community members participated in the assessment prior to the radio show, and 77 after. Following the radio drama, a significant reduction was found in terms of community stigma, and a reduction in social distance was found after both interventions. The entertainment score for both interventions was high, but significantly higher for the radio drama. The respondents indicated that they had gained more understanding of albinism as a result of the interventions, and were positive about this type of education. The current study shows that a radio show in which the listener interacts with someone with albinism can contribute to a reduction in stigma, and demonstrates that different types of radio intervention can have different outcomes. Reducing discrimination is key to improving the wellbeing of people with albinism in Tanzania. This research investigated the use of radio shows to change attitudes towards people with albinism within the community; two types of radio show were tested: a radio drama and a radio interview. Through the shows the respondents got into contact with someone with albinism. The shows were valued by the community members as an attractive means of education. The shows proved to be effective in terms of improving peoples' knowledge about, and attitude towards people with albinism. People enjoyed the radio drama more than the radio interview. The radio drama was also more effective than the radio interview in improving peoples' attitudes towards people with albinism. This research offers recommendations for organisations that are working to raise awareness with regard to albinism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Families of children with disabilities experience stigma by association with their child. This article examines social and internalised stigma experienced in the family by caregivers who participated in a caregiver programme in Ghana. Stigma is pervasive, and gendered, with most mothers blamed for bringing disability into the home. Emotional distress, isolation and lack of support are common experiences. We argue that the mothers can experience forms of disablism. Stigma is multi-layered, and a range of factors intersect with disability-related stigma, including poverty. A support group model can have a positive impact on caregiver internalised stigma and begin to address isolation. This should be part of a wider package of support to address wider structural issues. Families can play an important role in mediating change, but first we need to better understand the social disruption caused by disability-related stigma at the familial level. Stigma amongst family members with a child with cerebral palsy, is very common in the Ghana context, and fuelled by traditional beliefs. Caregiving and disability-related stigma is gendered. The stigma of childhood disability is often associated with women's role in child bearing and rearing. Better engagement with fathers, and other key members of the family, is needed. Emotional distress, isolation and lack of support are common caregiver experiences in Ghana. A support group model for caregivers has an impact on how they feel about themselves, reducing levels of self-blame and feelings of isolation. We know that the quality of caregiving is really important in the early years of a child's development, so it is important to address any stigma. Factors, such as poverty, play a role in fuelling stigma. These other factors also need to be addressed if we want to reduce levels of stigma experienced by families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the experiences of citizens with dementia who campaign for social change, with a particular focus on the effects of campaigning on citizenry identity and psycho-emotional well-being. In diary-interviews, 16 people with dementia recorded and described their experiences of campaigning. Findings revealed that although campaigning can be energising and reaffirming of citizen identity, because it (re)located a person within the realm of work, individuals may experience dementia-related fatigue and oppression linked to normative expectations about what someone with dementia ‘should’ be like. The discussion is linked to critical debates within disability studies about the psycho-emotional aspects of impairment and disability, and concludes that the struggle for citizenship has only just begun for people with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite there being much research on students with more visible disabilities, this is not the case with students with invisible disabilities such as psychosocial disabilities – especially in university postgraduate settings. Students with psychosocial disabilities have the decision to disclose their status to their research supervisors and this has implications on their relationship. This was a qualitative study interviewing 15 postgraduate students, from two universities in the Western Cape, South Africa, with diagnosed psychological disabilities and who are being supervised by university staff members. Issues of disclosure about their psychosocial disabilities were explored. Nine out of the 15 (60%) respondents disclosed their disability to their supervisor. Discussion of the responses of participants in terms of reasons for not disclosing, positive consequences of disclosing and negative consequences of disclosing are explored. It is argued that this complex issue needs to be addressed on three levels: individual, staff and university levels. The decision to disclose a mental illness is complex in that there are positive and negative consequences to disclosure depending on the context Disclosure issues need to be addressed on three levels - individual, staff and university. On the individual level it needs to be clear that individuals have a choice to disclose or not and that a one-size-fits all approach in disclosure is not applicable. On the staff level it is encouraged that coping skills of supervisors be developed while on the university level it is believed a cultural change to disability needs to be addressed. These research findings can begin to inform policy and initiate practical change in the supervision process of students with psychosocial disabilities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]