Browsing by Author "Nuwagaba, Ephraim L."

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Academic relationships and their influences on learning for students with a hearing disability : the case of Kyambogo university, Uganda
(African Journals: Journal of Vocational, Adult and Continuing Education and Training., 2019-06-01) Nuwagaba, Ephraim L.; Orech, Emmy
Optimising the learning of students with a hearing disability may require them to have academic relationships among themselves, with learners who have other types of disability, and with those without disabilities. The Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Guidelines confirm that relationships are important for persons with disabilities, including those with a hearing disability, as their fulfilment is essential to personal growth and development. Unfortunately, academic relationships may be a struggle for students with a hearing disability because of inherent and social challenges. This study reveals that some students with a hearing disability at Kyambogo University had good relationships, while others had unpleasant ones. Good relationships helped them to learn, cope with challenges in learning, access learning materials and academic support, and embrace diversity. Delayed communication had a negative influence on their academic relationships. The findings about learning together with, and from, other learners confirm ubuntu’s ‘shared collective humanness and responsibility’. They also confirm that the social model of disability can question barriers to learning and that sound academic relationships are contributing to efforts to overcome barriers and enhance inclusion. Understanding and balancing the interplay between academic relationships, barriers, and their influences on learning can help to improve access to, and success in, the education of learners with a hearing disability.
Accessibility to micro-finance services by people with disabilities in Bushenyi district, Uganda
(Taylor&Francis Online: Disability & Society., 2012-02-16) Nuwagaba, Ephraim L.; Nakabugo, Millie; Tumukunde, Meldah; Ngirabakunzi, Edson; Hartley, Sally; Wade, Angie
The Poverty Reduction Strategy of the Ugandan Government identified provision of microfinance as one of its interventions. Despite the known connection between poverty and people with disabilities, it remains unclear to what extent this intervention includes or accommodates them. This study seeks to gain a better understanding of how people with physical and sensory disabilities access existing microfinance services in the Bushenyi District of Uganda. Qualitative and quantitative methodologies are used. The findings suggest that people with disabilities are not necessarily denied access to microfinance if they meet the desired requirements. These relate to adequate savings or collateral and perceived trustworthiness. These are seen to be key determinants of success and can be linked to impaired functioning relating to limited mobility, distance, poorer access to information and disabled people’s own negative attitudes. Increasing access and utilization of microfinance services by people with disabilities requires formulation of financial policies that accord them special consideration. At the same time, improvement is needed in the knowledge, attitudes and skills of the people with disabilities themselves and also microfinance providers.
An adult learning perspective on disability and microfinance : the case of Katureebe: original research
(African Journal of Disability., 2016-01-01) Nuwagaba, Ephraim L.; Rule, Peter N.
Despite Uganda's progress in promoting affirmative action for persons with disabilities and its strategy of using microfinance to fight poverty, access to microfinance services by persons with disabilities is still problematic due to barriers, characterised by discrepancies between policies and practices. Regarding education, the affirmative action in favour of learners with disabilities has not translated into actual learning opportunities due to personal and environmental barriers. Objectives: The study on which this article is based investigated the non-formal and informal adult learning practices regarding microfinance that persons with disabilities engaged in. This article seeks to illuminate the barriers that a person with a visual impairment encountered while learning about and engaging with microfinance and the strategies that he developed to overcome them. Methods: This was a case study, framed within the social model of disability and critical research paradigm. Data were collected through in-depth interviews of a person with visual impairment and observations of the environment in which adult learning and engagement with Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (SACCOs) occurred. Results: Findings indicate that the person with a visual disability faced barriers to learning about microfinance services. He experienced barriers in an integrated manner and developed strategies to overcome these barriers. The barriers and strategies are theorised using the social model of disability. Conclusion: The case of a person with visual impairment suggests that persons with disabilities face multiple barriers regarding microfinance, including social, psychological and educational. However, his own agency and attitudes were also of importance as they influenced his learning. Viewing these barriers as blockades can lead to non-participation in learning and engagement with microfinance whereas viewing them as surmountable hurdles can potentially motivate participants to succeed in learning about and engaging with microfinance.
Experiences of persons with disabilities in starting and maintaining sexual relationship in African universities
(IJDS: Indonesian Journal of Disability Studies., 2018-12-17) Nuwagaba, Ephraim L.
Despite discrimination, isolation and marginalization, many African University students with disabilities engage in sexual relationships. Some of these relationships involve only those with disability and others are between those with and those without disability. This paper discusses the opportunities, experiences, challenges and strategies that University students with hearing, physical and visual disabilities have to start and maintain sexual relationships at Kyambogo University, Uganda. Results show that their sexual behaviours are shaped by their perceptions, the environment and African culture and traditions rooted in African Ubuntu philosophy. The conclusion is that the university provided opportunities and challenges to their sexual relationships and that those with positive attitudes enjoy healthy sexual relationships and were also better able to deal with relationship pressures that might negatively affect their relationships.
Navigating the ethical maze in disability research: ethical contestations in an African context
(Taylor&Francis Online: Disability & Society ., 2015-02-17) Nuwagaba, Ephraim L.; Rule, Peter
Despite changes in how disability is viewed, ethical requirements for disability research have hardly changed. Some ethical clearance procedures, processes and practices still consider persons with disabilities as not able, creating unease among researchers and research participants with disabilities themselves. This paper considers five ethical contestations arising from research in the area of disability in an African context: positionality, vulnerability, signed consent, anonymity, and research committee composition. We argue that ethical requirements in practice are still largely based on a medical model of disability and propose that culturally sensitive social and human rights models should influence disability research ethics.
Power dynamics among PWDs during adult learning processes: motivator or demotivator?
(AJOL: Rwandan Journal of Education, 2016-01-12) Nuwagaba, Ephraim L.; Rule, Peter N.
People with disabilities (PWDs) need knowledge and skills to engage in livelihood activities and to lead meaningful lives. Unfortunately, they are not or are underserved by the formal and non-formal education system. Improving PWDs’ adult learning opportunities requires understanding of the factors that influence their learning. This paper is based on a study that investigated adult learning practices of PWDs regarding microfinance. It focuses on the kinds of power dynamics that operated among (PWDs) and between them and the non-PWDs and how these affected PWDs’ learning. We argue that power and powerlessness is not homogenously distributed among categories of PWDs and that representation, leadership, decision-making and status as measures of power can be a source of motivation or de-motivation, depending on how they are handled.