The Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally disrupted teaching-learning activities in South Africa and across the globe. It has changed lives, mindsets and the way communities and societies interact, study and go about their daily business.

While the pandemic threatens all members of society, the impact on persons with disabilities are especially severe.

In order to successfully mitigate this, the North-West University (NWU) Disability Rights Unit assists to ensure students with disabilities are coping with online learning and the “new normal”.

Vida Mutlaneng, coordinator of the Disability Rights Unit at the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus, says the unit continues to assist and support students with disabilities in the same way they do when they are on campus.

“The unit constantly stay in touch with our students, providing them with the reassurance and assistance they need during this difficult time,” says Vida.

“The unit also liaises with various key stakeholders. These include reaching out to the Centre for Teaching and Learning to organise Supplemental Instruction (SI) for students, and liaising with academics to produce study material for visually impaired students and arranging reasonable time frames for online submissions.”

The unit also assists students by helping them to contact the IT department when they experience technical problems and/or difficulties on eFundi, the university’s online learning platform.

“To this end”, adds Vida, “our students are doing well. Our unit is also proud to have shared in the achievement of our students who have graduated virtually this year.” 

Vida Mutlaneng, coordinator of the Disability Rights Unit at the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus, shares a light-hearted moment with Letlhogolo Mafela, a former student and now alumnus of the university.