Provision of reasonable accommodation to employees with visual impairment by organisations of and for persons with disabilities in Kampala metropolitan area

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to explore the provision of reasonable accommodation to employees with visual impairment (EwVI) in organizations of and for persons with disabilities in Kampala Metropolitan Area. The objectives of the study included exploring the perceptions of employers towards the provision of RA to employees with visual impairments among organizations of and for PWVI, establishing the working conditions for EwVI in organizations of and for PWVI, and analyzing the adaptations at the workplace to enable EwVI to work comfortably. An exploratory study design was used and the study was qualitative in nature. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The study participants were thirteen (13), 10 of whom were EwVI and 3 were employers, and these were all selected by use of purposive sampling. The study findings revealed that employers largely had positive attitudes towards the provision of RA to EwVI as recognition for them being contributing agents towards the performance of the organizations, although they found them to be expensive. Yet, the negative attitudes of a few employers towards the provision of RA were largely due to a lack of awareness of their needs, seeing it as a burden and accusing EwVI of poor performance. The study findings also revealed that the majority of EwVI were faced with poor working conditions due to unfavorable work policies that included too much workload with short deadlines, a lack of consideration for salary and transport enhancement, and working under uncomfortable and obstructive work stations. The only favorable working conditions reported by employees with visual impairments were expressed by PWVI, especially the workplace interactions where they freely interacted with their workmates. Lastly, the study findings also revealed that there was a general lack of adapted technology for PWVI in the workplace. The adaptations that were expected included computer application software, information in an accessible format, an obstacle-free physical environment, and ramps for easy mobility, among others. However, a few EwVI had some adapted technological devices, including computers with jaws, screen-reading software, and smartphones with free internet services. It was recommended that employers should be sensitized to be non-discriminative against EwVI, provide them with sighted guides, provide flexible work schedules, cover transport expenses of EwVI, adapted technology and information in different accessible formats, provide adapted computers and smartphones with jaws, digital voice recorders and braille embossers as well as lenses, and modify the physical environment by covering the potholes, removing the tree stamps and broken bricks for easy mobility. Further research was recommended on perception of employers towards the employment of persons with visual impairment in the private sector in Uganda.