Antecedent Factors of Pre-service Teachers’ Attitudes towards Children with Disabilities in Zimbabwe

The push towards inclusive education has gathered momentum all over the world. As a result, many governments have enacted laws and policies directed towards promoting inclusion. This move has seen many students with disabilities who were traditionally educated in segregated schools being moved into general education classrooms. In Zimbabwe, the extent to which inclusive education has been successful is difficult to ascertain because there is insufficient research to that effect. However, one of the factors that have been identified to influence the successful implementation of inclusion around the world is teacher attitudes towards disability. The focus of the present study was to examine pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards students with disabilities in Zimbabwe and the antecedent factors that influence those attitudes. Participants were 53 pre-service teachers attending a university in Zimbabwe. Results indicated that most of the pre-service teachers (95%) had positive attitudes towards students with disabilities. Such positive attitudes were mostly influenced by education about disability and/or having close contact with someone who had a disability

Views of Zimbabwean Parents of Children with Autism apropos of the Process of Diagnosis and Access to Services

The number of children diagnosed with autism around the world is increasing. Unlike a few years ago, more about the disorder is known today, which facilitates the improvement of outcomes of the many children diagnosed with the disorder. However, most of what is documented about autism today is based on research from the Western world. Limited research has been conducted about children with autism and their families in other parts of the world, particularly Africa. This current study was an attempt to address that concern. A purposive sample of five parents of children with autism in Zimbabwe were interviewed to explore their experiences in terms of getting their children diagnosed and access appropriate services. The results indicated that the parents viewed the process of diagnosis as difficult and at times inaccurate. The parents also identified several challenges including social stigma, strained family relationships, and lack of access to appropriate services. Based on results of this study it is recommended that parents and service providers of children with autism should be educated about child development and autism to promote efficient diagnoses. It is also recommended that service providers working with children with autism should collaborate with the parents in order to improve the treatment outcomes for the children

Defining orphaned and vulnerable children

This research forms part of a broader project aimed at development and evaluation of interventions for orphaned and vulnerable children. The paper aims to provide a definitional framework and an understanding of orphans and vulnerability.

Towards a definition of orphaned and vulnerable children

The HIV epidemic presents challenges including orphans and a large mass of children rendered vulnerable by the epidemic and other societal forces. Focus on orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) is important, but needs accurate definition. Twelve focus group interviews of service providers, leaders in these communities, OVC and their caretakers were conducted at six project sites across Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe to extend this definition. The loss of a parent through death or desertion is an important aspect of vulnerability. Additional factors leading to vulnerability included severe chronic illness of a parent or caregiver, poverty, hunger, lack of access to services, inadequate clothing or shelter, overcrowding, deficient caretakers, and factors specific to the child, including disability, direct experience of physical or sexual violence, or severe chronic illness. Important questions raised in this research include the long-term implications for the child and community, and the contribution of culture systems.