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Integrating Women and Girls with Disabilities into Mainstream Vocational Training
3. Including women with disabilities in vocational training programmes

As we have seen earlier, women with disabilities are disadvantaged by discrimination that has resulted in denied opportunities and social exclusion. The answer to the problem cannot be provided through charity or welfare which perpetuates ignorance and discrimination, but first and foremost through changes in peoples’ attitudes and behaviour. Such changes are difficult and slow. In many countries it has been recognized that affirmative action on behalf of women with disabilities is needed to counteract the effects of discrimination. Affirmative action is usually taken for a limited time, until inequalities are significantly reduced.

What kind of affirmative action can training centres take to level the playing field for women with disabilities and give them a better chance to find work? Here are some suggestions:

• Set targets for increasing the number of women with disabilities enrolled at the vocational training centre (VTC).
   
• Publicize the availability of places for women with disabilities in the training programmes.
   
• Raise the awareness of parents, community groups, and others as to the importance of vocational training for women, and encourage enrolment.
   
• Set more flexible entry requirements.
   
• Be more flexible with the time required for completing the training.
   
• Facilitate and support disabled students in their application for scholarships from government and other sources.
   
• Sensitize and train VTC personnel to integrate disabled students into VTC training and extra-curricular activities.
   
• Gradually upgrade the accessibility of buildings and facilities for students with disabilities.
   
• Gradually acquire special aids and equipment to assist students with disabilities.

Policy decision

You will first need a policy decision to increase the enrolment and participation of women with disabilities. The policy decision may be for the whole VTC, or initially for specific VTC training courses. It should also set targets for the number of disabled women to be enrolled. The targets could be:

• a quota ( a percentage of the total number of VTC students or of those in specific training courses who are women with disabilities), set for each school year or to be achieved within a specified number of years.
   
• a specific number of new enrolments of women with disabilities for each school year or a maximum number to be achieved over a specified period.

To get the policy decision made, you need to:

• know who has the authority to make such a decision
   
• decide how to influence the authorities to make the decision
   
• learn whose support will help with implementation.

Promotion and information

Once the policy for increased participation of disabled women at your VTC has been made, it is then necessary to make the information known and to invite those who qualify to apply. This information could be added to the VTC’s regular advertisements and notices. However, additional action should be taken to ensure that the information reaches women with disabilities. Send information about the training courses and application requirements to:

• Special schools (secondary level), such as schools for people with visual impairment, and schools for people with hearing impairment. In addition you may request the Department of Special Education to disseminate the information.
   
• Service organizations for disabled persons. These are normally non- governmental organizations (NGOs) which provide various services for people with disabilities.
   
• Organizations of disabled persons. These are organizations whose members have disabilities. In general, their purpose is to represent the interests of their members and other disabled persons in government policy-making, to raise public awareness about disability issues, and to provide services to their members.
   
• Women’s organizations. These are usually NGOs working for the interests of women on a wide range of issues such as education, health care, and legal rights.
   
• Youth organizations. Like women’s organizations, these are usually NGOs providing various services to young people.

Application forms and other informational materials should be carefully checked to remove or rewrite statements which may suggest the disqualification or exclusion of disabled women.

Flexibility is the key. A combination of lower entry qualifications and longer course duration may work well for disabled students. It would address the problem of disabled women in general having fewer educational opportunities resulting in fewer of them having the required qualifications. In addition, many have to spend more time coping with their studies as a direct result of their disability.

Remember that vocational training is not an end in itself. It is designed to prepare your students for employment. As with other students, you need to know the aptitudes and abilities of disabled students. In addition, you need to know the limitations caused by their impairments so that you can advise them on the range of job choices and the appropriate training courses.

When advising a disabled woman, bear these points in mind:

• Look beyond the disability. You need to know the types of work she cannot do at all or cannot do well because of her disability. BUT you need to go on and ask yourself what other types of work she can do which are not affected – or are little affected – by her disability. You will find that there are more kinds of work that she can do and can be trained for than those for which she cannot.
   
• Technological innovations to help overcome disabilities are now more easily available and affordable. For example, software to give computers spoken instructions is now available in a number of languages. This innovation allows a person who has limited or no use of her hands to use the computer.
   
• Be careful of gender-based work stereotypes. Limiting training of disabled women to traditional “women’s” jobs restricts them generally to labour-intensive, low-paying work with few promotion or career prospects.

Barriers in the VTC built environment can prevent some disabled students from entering an area or using the facilities. Increasing accessibility, perhaps gradually, helps disabled students gain their rightful access to all common facilities as well as hastening their integration into the VTC community (see chapter 5). Removing obstacles for people with disabilities benefits everyone. For example, it makes the place safer for all and makes it easier to move trolleys and heavy furniture or equipment.

Not all changes required to improve accessibility are difficult or costly. To identify what changes are needed you have to know the access-related needs of the main disability groups. By carrying out an accessibility audit you can identify the barriers. Then you may need to set priorities by identifying the barriers to the essential facilities they will need.

In the VTC situation there are usually people around – students, instructors, other auxiliary staff members – who can be sensitized on how to assist disabled students. The disabled students themselves will ask for help and directions. The principle, however, should be to make the environment safer and allow them to move about as independently as possible.

The main needs of the different disability groups

We will consider the three main disability groups who are likely to participate in VTC training programmes. They are those whose disabilities are considered less severe and can integrate with minimum support.

Mobility-impaired people

These can be divided into two groups: people who use wheelchairs; and those who are able to walk, with or without assistance, with the aid of devices such as crutches, sticks, braces, walking frames, or artificial limbs.

• Wheelchair-users (estimated to be only about 5 per cent of all persons with mobility impairment) require:
   
  • ramps in place of steps
     
  • lifts to go from one floor to another
     
  • dropped kerbs on pavements
     
  • toilet facilities with handrails and appropriate specifications for door width and toilet size
     
  • more space (in enclosed areas such as lifts, corridors, rooms with crowded furniture) to manoeuvre
     
  • corridors, walkways, and pavements that are clear and free from clutter
     
  • adjusted table heights.

Where lifts have not been put in place, changing classrooms to the ground floor is a practical temporary measure.

• Those who can walk with assistance or with the aid of devices do not usually need special adaptations to the environment. However, they:
   
  • may not be able to walk long distances or negotiate too many steps
     
  • may have difficulty on uneven surfaces
     
  • cannot use squat toilets.

Visually impaired people

Few visually impaired people are totally blind. Many have varying degrees of residual vision and some can distinguish bright colours. Once visually impaired people are familiar with the surroundings they can be quite good at finding their way around. The following adaptations and precautions do help make the environment safer for them (and for others):

• Handrails for stairs should be installed on both sides, and preferably in a bright colour.
   
• Walkways, pavements, and corridors should be cleared of clutter and of any obstructions.
   
• Protruding objects above the ground but below head level such as signboards, windows which do not open out flat against the wall, and low tree branches are dangerous and should be adjusted or removed.

Hearing-impaired people

Physical access in built environments is not more difficult for hearingimpaired people than for hearing people, but it is important for alarm systems to also activate flashing lights.

Design specifications for various components of the built environment are available (see Further Reading).

Accessibility audits

This is quite simply done by tracing the movements and activities that students will need to go through every day, from the moment they arrive at the VTC premises. Your audit should include access to:

• classrooms, workshops, and laboratories
   
• the library and other common facilities such as the computer rooms, the students’ recreation room
   
• the canteen
   
• the toilets.

Initial orientation

When disabled students first arrive at your VTC, conduct a tour of the premises to familiarize them with the layout. Guide them through the main routes to their classrooms and other common facilities.

A disproportionate number of disabled people are poor. Also, it costs students with disabilities more to participate in training. For those with limited mobility, it could mean having to use more costly transport such as taxis; for those with visual impairment it may mean extra expenses for materials such as tapes and Braille paper. If your VTC has a scholarship scheme, ensure that disabled students have equal opportunities for consideration. In addition, your centre may consider grants to help subsidize their additional expenses. If your VTC does not have a scholarship scheme, it can still play an important role by providing information on scholarships offered by the government and private sectors and by facilitating and supporting applications for these scholarships from disabled students.

For those who have to leave home to join your VTC, finding suitable accommodation may be a worry. For women with disabilities the problem is more difficult. In the first place, they often come from families who are overprotective and are nervous about their leaving home. If the VTC provides residential accommodation, give priority to those with disabilities. Keep in mind their accessibility needs.

If the VTC does not provide boarding facilities, provide assistance in finding accommodation as a service to the students with disabilities. Discrimination and lack of awareness make most relatives and landlords reluctant to take on a disabled person, particularly a disabled woman. In addition, the choice is further narrowed by accessibility and other disability-related requirements. Involvement and help from the VTC not only reassures families that the VTC does care but will also bring the centre’s connections to bear in looking for suitable accommodation for students.

3. Including women with disabilities in vocational training programmes
Integrating Women and Girls with Disabilities into Mainstream Vocational Training

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