Overcoming Disability: Pathway to Inclusive Roles for Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria (Published)
This study was designed to investigate from among persons with disabilities, their struggles in life to overcome their present conditions of visual impairment/blindness. The area covered in this study spread through the six geo-educational, political and social zones of Nigeria. A total of one hundred (100) respondents were selected through nominations from associations for the visually impaired, departments of the ministries of social development and rehabilitation centres including other stake holders from the ministries of education. The study was conducted over the four months period across the zones already mentioned. All the respondents accepted that discrimination against persons with disabilities in the society including family members in areas of acceptance, community participation, acceptance and placement in schools, teaching and learning approaches and employment opportunities rank first among the major challenges of persons with disabilities in Nigeria. The method used for the selection of the respondents required the use of simple percentages to compute the results. Results of the findings revealed that the visually impaired are venerable to social exclusion, discrimination and poverty. Most of the respondents pointed to the attitudes of the society to be their major hindrances to inclusion in the society. The visually impaired persons generally have to work very hard to convince the Nigerian society that they can excel in social life, academic pursuit, marital life and job placement to be reasonably integrated in the society.
Keywords: Inclusive Roles, Overcoming Disability, Persons with Disability and Visual Impairment