Towards a Disability-inclusive Higher Education Policy through the Capabilities Approach

Abstract

Evidence from international literature shows that despite interventions and policies, students with disabilities face persistent challenges in higher education. The capabilities approach can take us forward in addressing these challenges in two ways. Nussbaum's version of the capabilities approach, in particular, provides us with an analytical framework to explore valued opportunities and freedoms from a social justice perspective. Secondly, in line with Sen's argument, the approach can serve as the informational base for disability policies. In this study, the capabilities approach is operationalized within education by applying Walker's list of eight valued freedoms and opportunities to students with disabilities. Data are drawn from a qualitative study examining the processes through which students with disabilities at two South African universities make their educational choices and negotiate different structures on their way to, and in higher education. These students identified key valued freedoms and opportunities that are needed to access and succeed in higher education. Four of the eight valued freedoms and opportunities on Walker's list emerged strongly in this study. Seven other valued freedoms and opportunities which fall outside of Walker's list were also identified. These 11 key valued freedoms and opportunities, we argue, are needed for the formulation of socially just disability-inclusive policies.

Keywords:

• Disability
• Capabilities
• Higher education
• South Africa
• Policy

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the valuable comments and suggestions from Sophie Mitra, anonymous peer reviewers and the funding support to the CRHED by the UFS and the National Research Fund for this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

About the Authors

Oliver Mutanga is a final year PhD Fellow at the Centre for Research on Higher Education and Development (CRHED) at the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein in South Africa. His research interests are disability, higher education and social justice issues.

Melanie Walker the current HDCA Vice President, is a Senior Research Professor at the University of the Free State, South Africa and the Director of Centre for Research on Higher Education and Development.

Notes

1 Under apartheid, higher education institutions were designed to serve only one of the four apartheid racial groups (Africans, Coloureds, Indians and Whites). Broadly speaking, White universities were advantaged in terms of their resourcing, and Black universities disadvantaged, with fewer resources and students coming from poor schooling backgrounds.

2 Pseudonym.

3 These are the categories into which participants fall as defined by the universities.

4 Coloured is an ethnic label for people of mixed origin who possess ancestry from Europe, Asia, and various Khoisan and Bantu-speaking tribes of Southern Africa.