community perceptions towards persons with disabilities and its impacts on their socialization: a case study of kampala school for physically handicapped in mengo kampala district

Description

The purpose of the study was to examine the community perceptions towards people with disabilities. The study was guided by specific objectives which included; finding out the different forms of physical disabilities at Kampala school for physically handicapped Mengo, identifying forms of community perception towards PWDs and assessing the initiatives that are put in place to change the community perception towards people with disabilities. The study considered qualitative approach which helped to gather an in-depth understanding of community perception, human behavior towards people with disabilities and the reasons that govern such behavior. Data was collected using interview guides indicating qualitative data which helped in making reliable conclusions that were generalized to the entire population. From the study, it was revealed that PWDs were fairly treated giving the fact that there are special schools for PWDs and people treat them well. In this study the findings showed that some PWDs are discriminated and examples of discrimination are related to examples given of UN fair treatment (people call them names, insult them or ignore them). The findings also showed that PWDs are less likely to get a job due to the negative perception in society towards them. The findings showed that in many cases PWDs who applied for jobs never heard anything again from the employer after the interview. The research study was descriptive in that it was able to describe physical disabilities at Kampala school for physically handicapped Mengo. Other methods such as qualitative approach was used to get the data directly from the respondents themselves by hearing and conversing with the respondents and analyze their views pertaining to the research study. Another thing that was used was, quantitative approach which allow the researcher to gather accurate and authentic information on the community perceptions towards persons with disabilities in Mengo Kampala district. The study concluded that negative perception and practices against PWDs are so common in communities whereby they see the disabled as a curse and non- performers and therefore there is need for the community to be sensitized and trained to use special strategies to facilitate and promote the overall development of PWDs.