MST-Department of Special Needs Education

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Browsing MST-Department of Special Needs Education by Author "George A. Onyango"

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    Analysis of adequacy and utilization of instructional resources for learners with mental retardation in special schools in Nyanza Province, Kenya
    (2011-08-18) Orao, Remi Odero; Nelley W. Otube; George A. Onyango
    The major purpose of this study was to analyze the adequacy and utilization of instructional resources for learners with mental retardation in special schools in Nyanza Province. The study also aimed at finding out the type of instructional resources available in the schools and how they were acquired. The study was guided by five research objectives which were to find out the types of instructional resources that are available for learners with mental retardation; to determine teachers' opinions on the importance and suitability of resources in the instruction of the learners, to establish how teachers acquire the instructional resources and whether or not they were able to improvise some of them; to determine how teachers used teaching and learning resources in the instruction of learners with mental retardation. Descriptive survey design utilizing quantitative and qualitative approach was used in the study. The target population of the study comprised of four (4) special schools for learners with mental retardation, fifty (50) teachers and 300 learners. The schools were spread throughout the province. The four schools that participated in the study were the only fully fledged special schools in the province for learners with mental retardation. Simple random sampling was used to select one teacher each from schools that took part in the study. Complete questionnaires were received from 26 teachers, and this gave a return rate of 92.9%. Questionnaires for head teachers and teachers were used to gather information from the respondents. The questionnaire was piloted at St. Catherine Special School for the mentally retarded, Butula. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (S.P.S.S.) computer software employing descriptive statistics such as percentages, frequency distribution and mean scores. The findings revealed the following: graphic materials were the most commonly used type of resources by teachers, all the four main types of instructional resources namely visual materials, graphic materials, audio visual/ aural and equipment and facilities were either inadequate or not available, with audio visual/aural largely unavailable. Information about instructional resources was mainly obtained from K.I.E. media catalogue. Lack of sufficient and/ or inappropriate training negative attitudes and limited funds were established as some of the factors that hinder acquisition and effective use of instructional resources. On the basis of the findings, the study recommended the following: a similar study should be carried out in other provinces in Kenya to establish whether or not the study findings apply to other areas to enable generalization of the result of this study, a study of this kind should be carried out in other areas of special needs to determine the relationship of the findings of this study with other areas of disabilities, a detailed study should be undertaken to investigate the attitudes of teachers towards the use of instructional resources in teaching and leaning of persons with mental, retardation
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    Effetiveness of special needs educatiopn supervision in Uasin Gishu District, Rift Valley province, Kenya
    (2011-08-18) Walingo, Mbogni Janet; Otube, Nelly; George A. Onyango
    One of the major challenges facing special education in Kenya has its origin from the implementation and evaluation of the educational movements that have resulted into special schools, integrated programmes and inclusion. This process emphasizes the need for close supervision to address the transition effectively. Studies reviewed indicated that problems in the supervision of Special Education occur right from the varying definition and roles of supervision, to Special Educational Needs that have to be addressed. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Special Needs Education (SNE) supervision in Uasin Gishu District. The focus of the study was on: special needs in education considered during supervision, the extent to which professional training of supervisors impacted on the quality of supervision, regularity of supervision, major problems faced by supervisors during supervising/inspecting of SNE programmes and the impact of these problems on supervision. The study employed an exploratory survey approach since new insights into problems of supervisions of SNE were sought. A total of 76 questionnaires of both structured and non-structured items were supplied to a stratified sample of 17 Quality Assurance officers at District and zonal levels, 25 headteachers and incharge of special units and finally, 34 teachers teaching in special education programmes in both Uasin Gishu District and Eldoret Municipality. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer software and excel packages were used in the analysis of data from which descriptive statistics were used. Thematic approach was used to analyze unstructured questions. The findings of the study established that special needs of learners were not addressed during supervision. The supervision of special education service delivery programmes was not regularly and effectively done. Supervisor also faced several challenges that were contextual in nature ranging from personal conditions like lack of knowledge base, communication, lack of a defined curriculum to systemic conditions like staffing, time, lack of a clear policy, among others, that adversely affected the quality of supervision. These effects ranged from the performance of supervisors, the input into service delivery to the outcome of learners with special needs. The following recommendations were made: that all QASOs, whether in service or joining, be in-serviced in Special Education Needs (SEN), that the Education Assessment and Resource Centre (EARC) coordinators be actively involved in supervision of special needs education and a policy document on the same be released for implementation purposes, that regularity of supervision of SNE programmes and their implementation and follow-up activities be done termly and the intensity be increased, that supervisors be in-serviced on indicators/ evidences to look for before visiting SNE programmes and on report writing, and that studies be put in place to evaluate the effectiveness of special education service delivery