Abstract:
People with disabilities have been facing workplace challenges with regard to
reasonable accommodations in both developing and developed countries for the
past few decades. The United Nations and its Member States have introduced
policies and legislation that promote the employment and reasonable
accommodation of people with disabilities. However, little has been done to
address the challenges faced by people with disabilities concerning workplace
accommodations and South Africa is not an exception. The study aims to
investigate the challenges faced by people with disabilities in relation to
workplace accommodation in higher institutions of learning. The study employs
an exploratory research design and adopts a qualitative approach to aid in
capturing the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the respondents. Thirty
respondents from the University of Limpopo in South Africa with disabilities and
without disabilities were purposively sampled. Semi-structured interviews were
conducted using an interview guide. The data collected was analysed using the
thematic content analysis. The findings of this study reveal the lack of
implementation of disability-related policies, the maintenance of the infrastructure
and attracting people with disabilities to apply for vacant posts in the institution.
This study recommends regular workshops for employees to be educated on
disability issues and strengthen their awareness and knowledge concerning the
needs of people with disabilities as well as make their environments
accommodative for people with disabilities.
