Disability policies and people with special needs in the work environment in Bayelsa state, Nigeria

Abstract

Despite the numerous socio-psychological challenges that People with special need face in the society, the work place has come to compound these problems in spite of the many disability policies found in the society to protect them. This study is therefore designed to assess the level of implementation of the disability policies from both the international communities and that of Nigeria with regards to their work environment. The study which was conducted in Bayelsa state purposively sampled 315 respondents drawn from various government and private establishments. The study made use of the social model of disability and labelling theories as its theoretical foundations. Data for the study was collected through the use of the questionnaire and were analysed using descriptive statistical tools such as; mean, standard deviation, and percentages, while hypotheses for the study were tested using the Pearson correlation and chi-square test. Findings from the study revealed that despite the high knowledge of employers of labour about the various disability policies in the world and Nigeria, its implementation has not been carried out. Hence, the study recommended for a monitoring unit of the government to be set up to ensure that employers of labour fully implement the stated policies.

Keywords: Work Environment, People with special needs, Disability policies, Assistive Devices, Social model of disability etc.