The extent and impact of environmental-ableism, environmental injustice, educational dis-inclusivity and services exclusion of people with disability: a case study of higher education students with disability in Enugu state, Nigeria

Abstract

Studies on stigmatization, discrimination and marginalization of people with disability need to integrate ableism. The sample size for this study constituted of eighty students with disabilities and twenty teachers, social workers and other public officials working in the areas of service provision to students with disabilities. Interviews and focus group discussions were adopted for data collection. Triangulation was used for analysis. The results revealed a high extent of environmental-ableism, environmental injustice, educational dis-inclusivity, service exclusion, marginalization, discrimination, and stigmatisation of people with disability. These have adverse effects on PWDs psychologically, education and access to social services. There was basically no government efforts to tackle these challenges in the study area. The study advocated the need for effective country-wide community education campaigns to eliminate myths, mindsets, culture and traditions feeding these challenges.