Beliefs of adults with disabilities about literacy skills’ roles on their livelihood as well as quality of life and their influence on becoming literate in Ethiopia

Abstract

The roles of literacy skills in improving the livelihood of individuals have been extensively researched, but little is known about their impact on the lives of persons with disabilities. This qualitative case study tried to explore people with physical disabilities’ beliefs about literacy skills’ contributions to their livelihood and how these determine the commitment to pursuing literacy skills. To gather data, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were used. The study’s findings indicated that respondents believed literacy skills could potentially improve their livelihood. As a result of their beliefs, their strive to become literate was imperative.

Keywords:

• Person with disabilities’ beliefs
• literacy skills
• livelihood

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

The aim of this study is to explore and examine the beliefs of adults’ with disabilities about literacy skills’ contribution to their livelihood and their impact of endeavouring to become literate. This is takes place in a qualitative case approach. Person with physical disabilities were interviewed in-depth and FGD was conducted with the same group. According to the result of the study it was believed by respondents that literacy skills can potentially improve their livelihood. As a result of their beliefs, especially for person with disability their strive for becoming literate was imperative. The exploration of the beliefs of person with disability about literacy skill contribution on livelihood has implication for practitioners in literacy of person with disabilities and could enable more critical consideration in creating enabling attitude

1 Introduction

There is growing recognition that the realization of a wide range of poverty reduction and development goals depends on making significant progress towards adult literacy for all (Robinson-Pant, 2010). Making all people literate is the plan of 21^st C. However, people with disabilities are not yet given sufficient attention (N. Groce et al., 2011). In Africa, adult literacy has particularly suffered from years of underinvestment and poor-quality provision (Comings, 1995; Easton, 2014; Rogers (2016). People with disabilities face more challenges (Hoogeveen, 2005; UNESCO, 2010). There is a lack of public awareness of adult literacy and disabilities. This is because adequate research has not been conducted in this area (Groce and Bakshi, 2011). Stereotyping and assumptions about the capacity of people with disabilities to learn and work are harsh social barriers (Groce and Bakshi, 2009). People with disabilities are more likely to have low literacy, which impedes accessibility to community services (UNESCO, 2009).

Literacy skills are crucial for adults with disabilities, as literacy can empower them (Wedin, 2008). And it also helps to be active citizens and access opportunities and employment that can lead to economic stability (Shiohata, 2009). “Exclusion of disabled people from social, economic and political opportunities throughout their lives and facing significant financial costs related to their impairments, disabled people and their households are frequently dragged further into poverty” (Yeo & Moore, 2003, P. 574). This condition is exacerbated when they are illiterate (Shiohata, 2009). According to Opokua et al. (2016), when people with disabilities can read and write, their political engagement increases. It also facilitates learners’ health and well-being. Furthermore, it enhances self-confidence. Acquiring even rudimentary literacy skills can increase social interaction, leading to a greater sense of belonging (Papen, 2005).

As beliefs are the force that determines the behaviours of someone (Fyfe, 2010; Hofer & Pintrich, 1997), the held belief in the mind of adults with disabilities can govern their decision and practices toward literacy skills. Although literacy skills are generally believed to contribute to people’s lives, how they are perceived influences their practices. So, the way adult with disability believe about the roles of the skills shapes their effectiveness in their lives.

Belief is a perceived connection between cause and effect (Jervis, 2006). The belief dimensions of a phenomena are the assortments of its beliefs. A person’s philosophical views constitute a belief dimension. Educational philosophical beliefs include the Educational belief aspect (e.g. pragmatist or idealism). All of these parts of belief comprise a belief system that helps a person know how the world operates and achieve particular objectives (Marij Swinkels, 2020). Educational and psychological foundation Needs, motivations, and values compose the psychological process behind constructing a literacy belief system. Individual psychological contexts provide unique literacy belief structures.

Attitude, values, and beliefs have close ties that influence behaviour (Rokeach, 1969). According to Rokeach, an attitude is the organization of multiple beliefs centred on a certain object. It can be physical, social, real or abstract. Some views about a thing or circumstance are factual, while others are evaluative. Thus, an attitude is a collection of beliefs consisting of interrelated claims that some aspects of a certain item or circumstance are true or untrue, and other elements are desirable or undesirable.

The Comparative Cognitive Mapping database is the source of data about belief shifts. The Comparative Cognitive Mapping approach was created primarily to identify causal ideas in political leaders’ speeches. Despite various ways of assessing beliefs, such as operational code analysis, this study employs Comparative Cognitive Mapping data to analyze beliefs about a specific issue to capture change.

When literacy and disability are the subjects of scholarly papers, scholars promptly turn into a discussion of children and school (Groce and Bakhshi, 2011). So, the issues of disability and adult literacy have not got much attention. How persons with disabilities see literacy skills is, there, crucial. To understand this, having access to the views of people with disabilities is essential. Listening to individuals with disabilities and organizations representing them can help everyone understand the relationship between literacy and disabilities.

Ethiopia, where the majority of adults are illiterate, is impoverished. Ministry of Education [MoE] (2016) stated that 19.4 million adults were illiterate between the ages of 15 and 60, of which 12.4 million (or 64 percent) were women. To reduce this widespread poverty, access to educational opportunities for disadvantaged persons is the most effective strategy (MoE, 2010). A program known as the Integrated Functional Adult Education (IFAE) program has been developed throughout the nation in order to combat illiteracy and enhance the community’s standard of living. The program aims to provide participants with the literacy skills necessary to enhance their livelihood. The curriculum has been developed using an integrated methodology. It is a two-year training program in conjunction with the agricultural, health, education, and social affairs sectors for 15–60-year-old target groups (Ministry of Education [MoE], 2010).

Adult education and literacy programs receive insufficient attention from the nation’s education policy (MoE, 2016). Because of their conditions, adult people with disabilities could encounter an uphill battle to gain educational opportunities. Neglecting individuals with physical limitations is a significant problem (Groce & Bakhshi, 2011). These segments of people are disadvantaged for two reasons: being adults and being disabled. As a country’s educational system focuses on children’s learning, adults’ learning is not a priority. Adult with physical disabilities in the education system is not emphasized (MoE, 2016). It is crucial to assess the belief of persons with disabilities and their influence on their endeavor of becoming literate.

Disabled persons are subject to psychological influences that lead them to believe they are incapable people (Krupa et al., 2022). As a result, they attribute more or less importance to their literacy skills according to their level of self-confidence. The study’s purpose is not to cast doubt on the role of literacy skills in the lives of people with disabilities; instead, it seeks to examine the extent to which individuals with disabilities’ perceptions of the value of literacy skills affect their livelihoods and their engagement with literacy initiatives. Although several studies have shown the importance of literacy for livelihood success (Oljira & Hailu, 2021; Robinson-Pant, 2010; Thompson, 2002), the perspectives of individuals with disabilities on this issue have not been studied.

Based on their literature review, the researchers could not locate any studies that looked at the relationship between literacies and the beliefs of people with impairments. Therefore, how persons with disabilities see literacy skills’ influence on their livelihood is significant. Research suggests that beliefs govern attitudes, decisions, and practices (Hindin et al., 2007; Buehl & Beck, 2015). Vermunt and Donche (2017) also claims that beliefs and learning strategies are highly connected. Therefore, adults with disabilities’ beliefs about literacy skills influence their livelihood, and this belief’s impact on pursuing further learning is meant to be studied. Accordingly, the researchers pose the following leading questions:

• What are the beliefs of adults with physical disabilities about literacy skills’ contributions to enhancing their livelihood?

• In what ways do these beliefs govern their endeavour to acquire further literacy?

2 Methods

The principal purpose of the study was to assess the beliefs of adults with physical disabilities about literacy skills’ contribution to their livelihood and their impact on endeavouring to become literate. Examining respondents’ beliefs needs access to what they think, say, and do (Rokeach, 1968). Therefore, a qualitative case approach was used for an in-depth case study of adults with disability beliefs about literacy skills and their influence on their livelihood. To follow confidentiality principles of research, indirect quotations were used which were represented by the abbreviation (e.g. IR- Interview Respondents; FGD- Focus group discussion).

2.1 Research context

Ethiopia is one of the sub-Saharan nations with the most adult illiterates (Bishaw & Lasser, 2012). To minimize the number of illiterate citizens at the national level, various programs have been designed and implemented in Ethiopia. One of the programs that are aimed at enhancing adult literacy is the Integrated Functional Adult Education program (MoE, 2010). The literacy-led approach of integrating various thematic areas has been followed in this program. The target groups of the program were people whose ages ranged from 15 to 60 and who had no chance of education for various reasons. There are adults with physical disabilities who were attendants of this literacy program.

2.2 Sampling

The study was conducted in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. Two adult learning centres found in Kolfe Keranio and Yeka sub-city were purposefully selected as there were physically disabled adult learners. In those learning centres, there were 17 adults with physical disabilities, of which ten were with lower limb impairment, three spinal problems and four with upper limb impairment. The interview was conducted with all of them. However, during the focus group discussion, there were six participants, including two individuals with each handicap.

2.3 Data collection

Semi-Structured interview questions were designed to gather data from persons with disabilities about their belief toward literacy skills’ contribution to their livelihood. All respondents were interviewed two times by researchers. An hour was taken to conduct each interview. In the first round of interviews, participants’ beliefs about literacy skills’ contribution to livelihood enhancement were focused. The second interview explored the influence of the beliefs on the endeavour of becoming literate. The interviews were audio-recorded and conducted in the participants’ mother tongue. To check the transcription’s trustworthiness, it was returned to the interviewees for a check-up.

A focus group discussion was also held with six participants in order to collect in-depth data on literacy skills’ significance to the livelihood of persons with physical disabilities and how belief influences their endeavor to become literate.

2.4 Data analysis

The gathered data were analyzed qualitatively in which data were coded and then grouped into different categories by researchers. In the analysis process, translating, transcribing, coding and identifying repeated issues were followed in which key themes were used for analysis. To keep confidentiality, abbreviations were used, which were represented by (e.g. IR1= interview one and FG1= focus group discussion one).

3 Findings

The analysis section first presents the belief of adults with physical disabilities about the roles of literacy skills in their livelihood. Then, the influences of their belief in striving to acquire literacy skills were addressed.

3.1 Belief about literacy skills influences their livelihood

During data collection, the participants stated their belief in the contribution of literacy skills to their livelihood. It was found that persons with disabilities believe that literacy skills contribute to their livelihood. According to their belief, it can help them enhance their income, improve their health, and develop their social condition and livelihood in general.

It was believed that literacy skills could improve the income generation of adults with disabilities. They are assumed to open opportunities to work quickly in their work. It was articulated in an interview as follows:

Literacy skills are thought to help the income generation of persons with impairments. They are expected to provide possibilities for them to work efficiently in their jobs. An interview stated it as follows:

I’m missing one of my legs. As a result, I cannot readily go from one location to another. I make a living by sitting by the side of the road. I can simply handle my task if I have reading and writing abilities. For example, I can communicate with my consumers from whom I purchase things for resale using a mobile phone. It also allows me to add and deduct what I buy and sell. In addition, I may track my daily income and spending. (IR3)

Another with a back injury added that:

I have a problem with a back injury as I fell from the stairs while I was working in Saudi Arabia by being a servant. Now, I cannot stand and sit for an extended period, and I cannot walk long distances. As a result, I cannot carry out various activities easily, which puts my life in hardship. Literacy skills can help me ease life as I develop skills in earning more money. I have friends who work hard and become successful because they can read and write. (IR7)

As the focus group discussion revealed, literacy skills could enhance their income. The participants said they would help them extend their working chances. They explained that it allows them use their time and resources properly, which in turn helps them lead their lives better.

As the respondents’ beliefs indicated, having literacy skills could improve the confidence of adult learners with disabilities. Those individuals who acquired the ability to read and write could develop confidence in themselves. The following were some of the extracts from respondents:

Literacy is critical. Literate persons can express themselves well. If I am literate, I get so many advantages. For example, People will respect me. I can also be employed. People’s disrespectful behaviour is not just a result of my disability but also my illiteracy. If I get literacy skills, I will be confident and full. (IR8)

Still, other respondents expressed the experience she got from a radio broadcast:

One day, I was listening to a radio and heard an interview with a visually impaired person. As I was listening to his speech, I was amused. He could speak confidently with a person talking with him. He was in no doubt to express his views, opinions, and feeling. I thought his confidence was a result of being literate. I confirmed that literacy could transform one’s attitude. (IR 9).

Literacy increases socialization. It is believed to improve the confidence and interaction of a person with a disability. People with disabilities feel shy and awkward because of their conditions of both being illiterate and disabled. Acquiring the ability to read and write is believed to minimize these conditions. One of the interviewees expressed his view:

I spend most of my time at my home as I cannot easily travel from one place to another. As a result, my interaction with people is low. My relatives at a distance have poor interaction with me. The ability to read and write can minimize these challenges. I can communicate with people through letters. I can also use a cell phone. Therefore, the feelings of solitude are reduced, and my interaction with others will increase. (IR4)

During the focus group discussion, the participants also expressed that literacy skills can increase the opportunity for disabled people’s interactions with other people. It can open access to participate in various social activities, like becoming escritoire of a local association and chairing the local groups. It was also added becoming literate makes learners use social media and interact with people. The interview result confirmed that adults with disability’s social interaction increased due to being literate.

Acquiring literacy skills can enhance the health status of an individual. One respondent stated that:

When I compare a literate person with a non-literate, I recognize that a literate person’s life is better. Their clothes are neat, and they also prefer an appropriate diet. In my view, these changes are achieved by being literate. A literate person can make his environment awesome and protect himself from diseases.

The beliefs of respondents toward literacy skills roles in improving the health condition of participants were found to be high. As a result, getting the skills paves the way for a better life.

3.2 The influence of adults’ beliefs on their strive to be literate

As writing and reading skills provide further skills for operating on one livelihood, learners were motivated to learn. The respondents declared that they had an interest in learning. A vendor who was with mobility problem expressed her desire:

I wish to be effective at my work of trading. To achieve my aspiration, having literacy skills is mandatory. Therefore, I decided to attend the literacy program. To attend this session, I have to halt my work despite the fact that it is the time when I sell most. Evening time is the time when people return home from work and it is the time when I can sale most. At this time, the literacy program is scheduled as most people are free from other work to attend. For me, it is the time when I sell most, yet I decided to attend the program to be literate. (IR1)

People create many problems against people with disabilities. The negative attitude held toward disability is affecting them. To resolve such obstacles, acquiring literacy skills are essential. If persons with disabilities acquire literacy skills, they can manage their life easier as the participants discussed during the focus group discussion. The respondents expressed their views:

Many of my problems are created by people. I am undermined and isolated not only because of my disability but because of my illiteracy. I am suffering from stigma. I can reduce the influence of disability by learning. I must continue making every effort to be literate. I understand that learning is a means of resolving such problems. So, I will try my best to continue learning. (FGD)

The participants expressed that literacy skills help them to enhance their economy. It provides them with various skills in managing things. As a result, they are motivated to pursue the next level of the program. One of the respondents expressed her interest in attending literacy as follows:

Since I am a person with limb problems, I cannot work as I want. So, my income is meagre, and I am poor. To earn more, literacy skills are mandatory in my life. Therefore, to continue further learning, I planned to join a regular school where I could get more access to advanced learning. (IR3)

As a result of attending a literacy program, participants got experience and knowledge about disability from others. In meeting people with similar problems, they get new knowledge and skills, for instance, how to live safely with their disabilities and protect their family from facing similar issues. One of the respondents stated his view as follows:

I have got paralysis of let by a disease. I was told that it happened with a lack of proper care. So, I have understood that they would not have been damaged if I had taken proper care of my legs. Therefore, having knowledge that helps me to prevent the disease not to pass to my family is essential. To succeed in this, I need to be literate and now I decided to participate attentively in the literacy program. (IR4)

There was a time when the practices of adults with physical disabilities put them at a disadvantageous position. They did not want to make their problems known to others, affecting their socialization. While they were trying to hide their concerns, their conditions became worse. Being literate helped them understand that hiding once disability was wrong:

Since I feel as subhuman, I tried to hide my problem. I used to act as a person without a disability. My life was full of pretending. I never tell my problem to my friends, my family only knows it and in doing so I worsen the problem. As I can read and write, I begin feeling positive about myself and I understand that getting more knowledge changes my life. Thus, I have planned to read materials that teach me about my problem and how to enhance my livelihood by developing my socialization. (IR5)

A physical disability creates challenges in the life of a person with a disability, and these challenges are solved by acquiring literacy skills. Participants expressed their view as follow:

I lost my leg because of a car accident. As a result, I faced challenges in my life. Most of my challenges worsened as I was illiterate. Therefore, I decided to attend any learning programs that enhance my knowledge. (IR7)

Another interview confirmed the contribution of literacy skills to his livelihood and decided to continue:

I cannot travel a long distance, so I cannot travel to where I want to go. Now, as I can read and write, I am using my mobile phone to convey my message. This meaningfully eases my life. I want to continue learning to the next level. If it is possible for me, I will continue till I become employed. (IR12)

The participants understood the importance of literacy in their life. It contributes to easing their condition which is created as a result of being disabled. Various aspects like income, socialization, health, and self-confidence are highly influenced by the skills of reading and writing.

4 Discussion

It is indicated that (UNESCO, 2010; Yeo & Moore, 2003) education is not accessible for adults with disabilities. This limited access made them miss opportunities of getting literacy. Studying the way they perceive and apply literacy skills in their life is very important. Hence, this study explored the belief of adults with physical disabilities about the roles of literacy in their livelihood and its influence on their life. The result of the study showed that adults with physical disability believe in the contribution of literacy in enhancing their income, improving social interaction, improving health conditions and upgrading their self-esteem. The belief they held encouraged them to attend further learning. The previous study revealed that having literacy skills contributes to life (Quan-Baffour & Johnson, 2022) People with disabilities require these skills to enhance their life (UNECO, 2005).

The finding showed that income could be enhanced by having literacy skills. Persons with a disability face challenges in their life because of their conditions. Hence, the challenges affect their income. When they acquire literacy skills, according to their belief, they minimize the challenges they have faced and can contribute to enhancing their income. The finding is consistent with previous studies. For instance, Yeo and Moore (2003) stated that literacy skills open opportunities for the livelihood of a person with a disability. Their belief influenced their practices of literacy skills. The energy behind belief motivates them to attend further literacy. Oljira & Muleta (2021) also found that the livelihoods of various segments of society enhanced as a result of acquiring literacy skills.

The findings revealed that the respondents believed in the contribution of literacy skills for preventing diseases, maintaining hygiene and understanding more about their disabilities. Therefore, respondents’ belief towards literacy skills’ contribution to their health-related condition is positive. Grech (2009) mentioned that acquiring literacy skills have a contribution to enhancing skills in handling disabilities. Individuals with literacy skills handle their problems more effectively than those without (Krupa et al., 2022). Families with better literacy are more likely to be less impoverished and able to understand health and public health messages and this may help members avoid some disabling conditions and respond better in terms of providing health care, education, social inclusion for those members of their families who may be disabled (N. Groce et al., 2011; Oljira & Hailu, 2021; Shiohata, 2009).

Where there is a positive belief in the contribution of literacy to their income, the desire to seek further learning is increased. The influences of those skills positively change the held belief, which in turn requires a literacy program for these people.

The result revealed that the social interaction of adults with a disability could be enhanced as a result of attending a literacy program, and the feeling of lonesomeness is also reduced as the chance of meeting other people with disability increases. Tefera et al. (2015) stated that joining a literacy program opens an opportunity to meet new persons with whom to share experiences, learn how to live with a disability and learn how to look for help. As the skills acquired, they believe that it gives opportunities. Having the ability to read and write increases communication skills with others. According to Merriam (2008), literacy skills open opportunities for sharing ideas and developing relationships with others.

Boosting morale is another role that was having literacy skills play. The findings highlight that the ability to read and write effectively restores their self-respect and self-esteem. Papen (2005) states that a lack of literacy makes one feel low self-esteem. Therefore, urging adults with physical disabilities to seek to learn different skills is essential. Adults with physical disabilities are highly motivated to pursue opportunities that give them the chance to learn. Therefore, belief is used as a force to push them to learn.

There is an argument that states acquiring literacy skills may not benefit unless it is related to the life of users (Rogers et al., 2007). Persons with disabilities, however, strongly believe in the applicability of literacy skills in enhancing their livelihood. It is found that reading and writing skills bring noticeable improvement in their livelihood.

It has been investigated that belief leads to actions. For instance, Hofer and Pintrich (1997) stated that individuals’ actions are guided by their attitudes. If actions are based on their beliefs, their consistency is strong. Adults with disabilities belief toward the contribution of literacy skills to their livelihood, therefore, help them to pursue different literacy programs. As a result of their belief, people with disabilities’ endeavours to acquire literacy skills are positively changed. If the opportunity of attending a literacy program is available, the number of people with disabilities participating in the program and improving their livelihood will be significantly altered.

Persons with disabilities life encounter more challenges in their life. The environment in which they live creates various conditions that hinder them from working for their livelihood. Policy, systems, culture and social attitude are some barriers (Krupa et al., 2022), yet the attitude of the person with a disability toward themselves is very important (Nelson, 2014). One of the skills that help them to enhance their livelihood is the ability to read and write. These skills are a matter for them to use, depending on their beliefs. Their belief, in turn, affects their practice.

The researchers acknowledge that this study has limitations. Limited samples are studied in which only literate people with physical disability is targeted without regard to non- literate ones. In addition, the beliefs of persons with other disabilities are not covered by this study. Furthermore, only short-term self-reported data were employed, Therefore, the specificity and limitations of the study impact generalization. Nonetheless, it continues to contribute to the literature of literacy skills and livelihood of person with disabilities

5 Conclusions and implications

The study has revealed that persons with physical disabilities believe in the importance of literacy skills in enhancing their livelihoods, in which acquiring literacy skills can improve their income, enhance their health, upgrade their morale and increase their social interaction. Their beliefs on the contribution of literacy skills in enhancing their livelihood are positive.

Individuals with impairments suffer more from their handicaps than from their disabilities. The concept that “disability is not incapacity” is uncommon since impaired individuals are informed that it is challenging to modify their livelihoods. It is crucial that they have a positive attitude on the significance of literacy skills to their lives.

Furthermore, sharing experiences related to disability is very important for persons with disabilities. They learn from one another how to live with their problems/disabilities. The study indicated that this skill is achieved when they acquire literacy skills.

Their belief inspired them to acquire reading skills. As a result, persons with impairments are more likely to become literate if they believe reading skills would boost their ability to earn a living. In light of this, it is proposed that a system be created that allows these neglected groups to participate in literacy initiatives.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Temesgen Oljira Geleta

Temesgen Oljira Geleta works as a lecturer of adult education and Community Development at the Institute of Educational and Behavioral Science, Ambo University, Ethiopia. He has MEd in Adult and Lifelong Learning from Addis Ababa University. He has twelve years of teaching experience. He also worked as quality enhancement coordinator and higher diploma program trainer. His research interests are adult learning, lifelong learning and professional learning.