UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)
College of Education
⋄
EDS4804 ASSIGNMENT 2
Complete Answers — 2026
⋄
Module Code: EDS4804
Assignment No.: Assignment 2
Due Date: August 2026
Semester: 2026
Unique Number: 137615
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for EDS4804
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | EDS4804 Assignment 2
Question 1
1.1 Critically discuss how social attitudes and stereotypes contribute to the challenges faced
by people with disabilities, providing relevant examples. (10)
Disability is not caused only by an individual’s impairment. The difficulties experienced by
people with disabilities are also shaped by the attitudes, beliefs and social structures within
which they live. The social model of disability distinguishes between impairment, which refers
to a difference in a person’s body or functioning, and disability, which arises when society
creates physical, social, institutional and attitudinal barriers that restrict participation (Oliver,
1990). Social attitudes and stereotypes are therefore important because they can transform
an impairment into a source of social exclusion.
One significant challenge is the stereotype that people with disabilities are dependent, in-
capable or unable to make meaningful decisions for themselves. Such assumptions can
result in paternalistic treatment, where other people make decisions on behalf of disabled
individuals without properly considering their preferences. For example, an employer may
assume that a person who uses a wheelchair cannot perform a particular job, even when
the person possesses the necessary qualifications and skills. This reflects the medical and
deficit-oriented view of disability, in which attention is concentrated on what the individual
supposedly cannot do rather than on the barriers created by the environment (Shakespeare,
2014).
Stereotypes can also affect access to employment. Employers may associate disability with
low productivity, increased costs or inability to perform effectively. Consequently, qualified
people with disabilities may be overlooked during recruitment or may receive fewer oppor-
tunities for promotion. This creates a cycle in which limited employment opportunities con-
tribute to economic disadvantage, which may then reinforce the stereotype that people with
disabilities are economically dependent. The International Labour Organization (ILO, 2022)
notes that people with disabilities continue to experience significant disadvantages in labour-
market participation, demonstrating that discrimination remains an important barrier to eco-
nomic inclusion.
Social attitudes also influence education. Learners with disabilities may be regarded as un-
able to achieve academically or may be placed in segregated educational environments with-
out sufficient consideration of their individual abilities and support requirements. Such as-
Page 1 of 27
, UNISA | EDS4804 Assignment 2
sumptions can lower expectations among teachers, parents and peers. Lower expectations
are particularly damaging because they can limit opportunities for learners to develop confi-
dence and demonstrate their abilities. Inclusive education requires educational institutions
to remove barriers to learning and participation rather than treating disability as a reason for
exclusion (UNESCO, 2020).
Negative stereotypes can further contribute to social isolation and stigma. People with psy-
chosocial or intellectual disabilities, for example, may be stereotyped as unpredictable, dan-
gerous or incapable of contributing to society. These perceptions can result in avoidance,
bullying, discrimination and exclusion from community activities. Goffman (1963) explains
stigma as a process through which individuals are socially discredited because of character-
istics that are regarded negatively by society. Disability stigma can therefore affect a person’s
identity, relationships and opportunities for participation.
Media representations can reinforce these attitudes. Disabled people are sometimes por-
trayed either as objects of pity who require charity or as exceptional individuals who are cel-
ebrated for overcoming their impairments. Although positive stories may appear supportive,
the latter representation can also create unrealistic expectations that disabled people must
achieve extraordinary accomplishments to be valued. Garland-Thomson (2002) argues that
cultural representations influence how disability is understood and consequently shape social
relationships between disabled and non-disabled people.
Social attitudes also interact with other forms of inequality. A disabled woman, for exam-
ple, may experience discrimination associated with both gender and disability. Similarly, a
disabled person living in poverty or a rural area may experience greater barriers because
transport, healthcare, education and employment opportunities are less accessible. Disability
should therefore not be viewed in isolation from other social and economic conditions.
In the South African context, these challenges are particularly important because the Consti-
tution establishes equality and prohibits unfair discrimination, including discrimination on the
basis of disability (Republic of South Africa, 1996). The existence of legal protection, however,
does not automatically eliminate discriminatory attitudes. The continued exclusion of people
with disabilities demonstrates that social change requires more than legislation. Public edu-
cation, inclusive institutions, accessible environments and meaningful interaction between
disabled and non-disabled people are also necessary.
Overall, social attitudes and stereotypes contribute to disability by creating barriers to partici-
Page 2 of 27
College of Education
⋄
EDS4804 ASSIGNMENT 2
Complete Answers — 2026
⋄
Module Code: EDS4804
Assignment No.: Assignment 2
Due Date: August 2026
Semester: 2026
Unique Number: 137615
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for EDS4804
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | EDS4804 Assignment 2
Question 1
1.1 Critically discuss how social attitudes and stereotypes contribute to the challenges faced
by people with disabilities, providing relevant examples. (10)
Disability is not caused only by an individual’s impairment. The difficulties experienced by
people with disabilities are also shaped by the attitudes, beliefs and social structures within
which they live. The social model of disability distinguishes between impairment, which refers
to a difference in a person’s body or functioning, and disability, which arises when society
creates physical, social, institutional and attitudinal barriers that restrict participation (Oliver,
1990). Social attitudes and stereotypes are therefore important because they can transform
an impairment into a source of social exclusion.
One significant challenge is the stereotype that people with disabilities are dependent, in-
capable or unable to make meaningful decisions for themselves. Such assumptions can
result in paternalistic treatment, where other people make decisions on behalf of disabled
individuals without properly considering their preferences. For example, an employer may
assume that a person who uses a wheelchair cannot perform a particular job, even when
the person possesses the necessary qualifications and skills. This reflects the medical and
deficit-oriented view of disability, in which attention is concentrated on what the individual
supposedly cannot do rather than on the barriers created by the environment (Shakespeare,
2014).
Stereotypes can also affect access to employment. Employers may associate disability with
low productivity, increased costs or inability to perform effectively. Consequently, qualified
people with disabilities may be overlooked during recruitment or may receive fewer oppor-
tunities for promotion. This creates a cycle in which limited employment opportunities con-
tribute to economic disadvantage, which may then reinforce the stereotype that people with
disabilities are economically dependent. The International Labour Organization (ILO, 2022)
notes that people with disabilities continue to experience significant disadvantages in labour-
market participation, demonstrating that discrimination remains an important barrier to eco-
nomic inclusion.
Social attitudes also influence education. Learners with disabilities may be regarded as un-
able to achieve academically or may be placed in segregated educational environments with-
out sufficient consideration of their individual abilities and support requirements. Such as-
Page 1 of 27
, UNISA | EDS4804 Assignment 2
sumptions can lower expectations among teachers, parents and peers. Lower expectations
are particularly damaging because they can limit opportunities for learners to develop confi-
dence and demonstrate their abilities. Inclusive education requires educational institutions
to remove barriers to learning and participation rather than treating disability as a reason for
exclusion (UNESCO, 2020).
Negative stereotypes can further contribute to social isolation and stigma. People with psy-
chosocial or intellectual disabilities, for example, may be stereotyped as unpredictable, dan-
gerous or incapable of contributing to society. These perceptions can result in avoidance,
bullying, discrimination and exclusion from community activities. Goffman (1963) explains
stigma as a process through which individuals are socially discredited because of character-
istics that are regarded negatively by society. Disability stigma can therefore affect a person’s
identity, relationships and opportunities for participation.
Media representations can reinforce these attitudes. Disabled people are sometimes por-
trayed either as objects of pity who require charity or as exceptional individuals who are cel-
ebrated for overcoming their impairments. Although positive stories may appear supportive,
the latter representation can also create unrealistic expectations that disabled people must
achieve extraordinary accomplishments to be valued. Garland-Thomson (2002) argues that
cultural representations influence how disability is understood and consequently shape social
relationships between disabled and non-disabled people.
Social attitudes also interact with other forms of inequality. A disabled woman, for exam-
ple, may experience discrimination associated with both gender and disability. Similarly, a
disabled person living in poverty or a rural area may experience greater barriers because
transport, healthcare, education and employment opportunities are less accessible. Disability
should therefore not be viewed in isolation from other social and economic conditions.
In the South African context, these challenges are particularly important because the Consti-
tution establishes equality and prohibits unfair discrimination, including discrimination on the
basis of disability (Republic of South Africa, 1996). The existence of legal protection, however,
does not automatically eliminate discriminatory attitudes. The continued exclusion of people
with disabilities demonstrates that social change requires more than legislation. Public edu-
cation, inclusive institutions, accessible environments and meaningful interaction between
disabled and non-disabled people are also necessary.
Overall, social attitudes and stereotypes contribute to disability by creating barriers to partici-
Page 2 of 27
