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This paper analyses the impact of disability on the social identities of siblings of young people and adults with cognitive disabilities. The main aim is to empirically support the concept of 'disability by association', which refers to the attribution of an associative identity due to the presence of a disabled member in the family. Evidence is drawn from a qualitative study, made up of 32 in-depth interviews and two focus groups with siblings without disabilities. The results confirmed the impact of interactive effects on the lives and behaviours of the interviewees. The internalisation of the oppression experienced by siblings, even in the absence of actual negative incidents, limits their social life experience and identity construction. Although the siblings develop non-medical representations of disability and impairment, this conceptual repertoire is not strong enough to challenge devalued images of cognitive disability. Points of interest: Siblings' points of view are underdeveloped, while most studies focused on parents' perspectives. The research found that siblings have different views on disability and impairment than parents. Siblings may experience stigma and exclusion due to their brothers and sisters' disability. The research recommended that siblings' difficulties and needs be taken into account when talking about the experience of disability within families. [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]

People with disabilities have an inviolable right to equitable access and participation in tertiary education and support systems are known to be indispensable in making this right a reality. This article presents the voices of students with disabilities regarding aspects that influence their successful access and participation in tertiary education in Ghana. A qualitative approach was adopted for the study with data collected through interviews with 12 students with disabilities in three public universities. From the perspective of these students, successful inclusion of people with disabilities in tertiary education in Ghana is influenced by enrolment practices, the built environment, teaching and learning approaches, and assessment provisions. The context influenced provisions and support provided. Attitudes of the university community and lack of knowledge of inclusive practices such as Universal Design play a role in students' access and participation. Comprehensive awareness-raising on disability and inclusive practices is recommended to address this issue. This paper explores inclusion practices in three Ghanaian public universities focussing on the combined voices of students with disabilities. The context of the three universities influences the provisions and support available for people with disabilities. The students with disabilities involved in the study reported that access to the university environment and support for academic engagement impact their university experience. The attitude of the university community is a factor in ensuring access, participation and success of people with disabilities in higher education. Creating awareness of disability issues within the university community is pivotal in building and sustaining inclusive culture. The application of universal design principles is essential to improving access and participation of people with disabilities in higher education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people with intellectual disability seem to be more vulnerable on the Internet than youth in general. Therefore, it is important to investigate not only their strategies for managing negative online experiences but also how they experience Internet-related support. This study applies a qualitative and interpretative approach drawing on individual and pair interviews with pupils in upper secondary special programme schools in Sweden. A thematic analysis resulted in the following themes: 'a lesson to be learned', 'the important role of siblings', 'the dilemma of support' and 'negotiation of control'. With regard to negative online experiences, strategies for managing privacy, safety and risky situations are understood as problem-focused coping and efforts to manage external/internal demands. The central role of social networks is emphasised with regard to Internet-related support. It is concluded that online restrictions may discourage open dialogue. A perspective of positive risk-taking, focusing on opportunities rather than risks, is advocated. This article investigates the participants' perspectives in their own words. The key contribution of the paper is finding out how young people with intellectual disability in Sweden handle negative online experiences and how they experience Internet-related support. The study highlights a range of themes from lessons learned and sibling relationships to problems of support and control that reflect many social and individual characteristics. The participants use different coping strategies to handle negative online experiences. They seem to manage privacy and safety on their own and refuse control in risky situations. With regard to Internet-related support, the participants prefer turning to their social network (family and friends) rather than public authorities (teachers in school). This type of research is important because it focuses on young people with intellectual disability and their vulnerability online as well as the development opportunities for Internet-related support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of personalisation represents a global paradigm shift in the organisation of social care. However, such approaches have been criticised for failing to bring about transformative change. The passage of the Self-Directed Support (Scotland) Act (2013) was intended to bring about a significant change in the organisation of social care in Scotland, giving increased choice and control to new user groups. The implementation of the policy at a time of significant financial constraint for local government has cast doubt on this potential. This paper presents findings reflecting disabled peoples' lived experience of this change during the early stages of implementation. Drawing on one-to-one qualitative interviews with disabled people living across the central belt of Scotland, this early snapshot suggests that the policy had not significantly increased choice and control for service users, and that austerity was leading to an erosion of gains made by existing Direct Payments users. [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]

Students with disabilities are under-represented in higher education (HE) institutions in Botswana. The number of students with disabilities is on the rise but parity has not been attained. The struggle of students with disabilities to access and participate in HE remains an issue of great concern for disability activists and researchers. This paper sought to document the experiences of university students with disabilities in their struggle to access and participate in HE. Seven students with disabilities took part in the study. Data were gathered through semi-structured focus group interviews. Later on these data were triangulated with an access-audit of facilities. Constant comparison methods were used for data analysis. Six themes emerged, namely: attitudinal barriers; resource barriers; structural barriers; policy related issues; lack of support mechanisms; and lack of skills and knowledge. Implications of the findings to institutions of higher learning are discussed in order to promote wider participation for students with disabilities in HE in Botswana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the absence of accessible and inclusive emergency communication provided by the government and public service providers, this article examines a self-initiated and volunteer-driven Disability Support Network. This Network emerged as a civil response during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. The study highlights the communication difficulties and multiple disadvantages experienced by people with disabilities in emergency situations. This reveals the gaps between policies and practices regarding the digital accessibility infrastructure in China. Adopting a WeChat ethnography research method, the researchers collect data from both participant-observation in the virtual field of online chat rooms and semi-structured interviews with Network participants. The study examines the empowering role of the Disability Support Network and the use of inclusive information and communication technologies. The mechanism and deliverables of Disability Support Network, along with important lessons and inclusive communication practices used by the Network, are presented in the article. We argue that comprehensive and inclusive communication strategies for people with disabilities should consider multiple dimensions including formats, content, and situations. We advocate that government and public service entities in China need to take more active measures providing inclusive communications and information in emergency situations for people with disabilities. This study examines the effects of civil society response and communication inequalities in public health disasters in China. The study identifies difficulties experienced by disabled people who are excluded from mainstream information channels. The study provides examples of the best practices in effective communication for disabled people during the COVID-19 outbreak. We especially study an unprecedented volunteer-driven disability support network that emerged in response to COVID-19. The study details how a disability support network is organized, what the network has achieved, and the role social media played in the network's activism and organization. This study highlights the response, self-determination, and self-help actions generated from disability communities in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persons with disabilities in rural India do not have the opportunity to lead a self-determined life and be included in their community as required by the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. To investigate their experience of living everyday life and the amount of agency they are able to exercise, in-depth interviews were undertaken. The Capability Approach (CA) was used to analyse the situation that was seen in terms of outcome of the interplay between internal and external factors resulting in loss of agency. The results show that the dependency they experience due to lack of adequate support to undertake activities and being completely dependent on the family places them in a vicious circle of 'self-worthlessness'. Reducing the dependency disabled people face and changing perceptions of the community towards disability may break this circle. In rural India persons with disabilities are unable to live a self- determined life and to participate in home and community activities. The research shows that the interaction between personal, social and environmental factors makes it difficult for persons with disabilities to live a self-determined life and increase dependency. The dependency encountered, coupled with the negative attitude of the community towards disability, places the persons with disabilities in a vicious circle of 'worthlessness'. The recommendations suggest reducing the dependency of persons with disabilities on their families, improving the perception of disability in the community and increasing self-esteem of persons with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst disability policy in Ireland has advanced in recent years, the under-representation of people with a disability in the workforce continues to be a social and economic challenge. Education and training have been identified as critical factors enabling a move into paid employment yet little is known, in an Irish context, as to the experiences of people living with disabilities as they transition into work. This qualitative study explores the views and perceptions of a diverse group of people with disabilities who are attempting, or have already made, a transition from education or training to work in the context of fluid 21st century labour markets. Key issues identified in the research include self-perceptions of work-readiness, concerns related to disability disclosure and the need for more flexible approaches to work-place accommodations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through in-depth interviews with service providers from non-governmental organisations (n = 58), this article describes the intricacy of familial relationships for women with intellectual disabilities in South Africa who experience gender-based violence. The findings suggest that families navigate social stigma, limited resources and isolation, whilst trying to be vigilant against gender-based violence and disability-related violence, and respond to it as it happens. However, family members are also simultaneously implicated in violence perpetration. We suggest that a social relational model of disability could help account for these crucial intra-familial dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2001 the UK Government launched its strategy ‘Valuing People’. The strategy, underpinned by the Human Rights Act 1998 (Ministry of Justice 1998), the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Home Office 1995) and social inclusion claimed to outline ways for services to work, to meet the needs of individuals with learning disabilities . In this qualitative study, interviews were held with five women with learning disabilities, all of whom experienced domestic abuse from intimate partners. Although women sought help from services to leave their abusive partners, it was either denied or inappropriate to their needs. Women internalised the oppression of their partners and the dual abuse from services that failed them. Helpful service provision included advocacy, a domestic abuse therapy programme, and an empowerment group informed by feminist perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated social integration in the workplace of 13 blind or low vision employees. Qualitative research methodology was used. The employees participated in semi-structured interviews responding to questions on social barriers in the workplace. The findings show that they do not enjoy full integration into the workplace because of the lack of social support. Social barriers are not acknowledged as workplace barriers that lead to social exclusion at work. Organizations need to be proactive in developing concrete solutions to remove social barriers and facilitate the social inclusion of blind or low-vision employees into the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]