dc.description.abstract |
Purpose: The employment equity policies and implementation of technologyspecific
guidelines within the South African ‘Code of Good Practice on the
Employment of People with Disabilities’, was created to encourage employment
equity for employees with disabilities, by companies in Johannesburg.
This study reports on the results of the investigation in assistive technologies
in a workplace environment, and barriers for the employment of persons with
disabilities in the South African environment.
Method: Qualitative data, collected from two retail and service companies
in the form of semi-structured individual and focus group interviews, was
analysed using a constant comparative method, identifying major themes and
sub-themes.
Results: A surprisingly small number of persons with disabilities were found
to be employed by participating companies, which tended not to focus on these
people when formulating their policies and plans. In addition, technological
aspects of the Code were largely unacknowledged, with little effort being made to
accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities. An even lower incidence of
assistive technology usage was found, along with a large number of conceptual
and perceived barriers that hinder the employment of persons with disabilities
and the implementation of appropriate technology. |
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