Browsing by Author "Mulima, Emmanuel Ian"

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    Access arrangement practices, its effectiveness and influence on the performance of learners with dysgraphia in public lower-primary schools in Vihiga County, Kenya
    (European Journals of Education Studies, 2024) Mulima, Emmanuel Ian; Muthee, Jessina; Karia, Mathew
    The study explored the access arrangement practices, their effectiveness, and their influence on the performance of learners with dysgraphia in public lower-primary schools in Emuhaya Sub-County, Vihiga County. This study was anchored on Robert Gagne’s Conditions of Learning theory, proposed in 1965. A descriptive research design was adopted. The study aimed to include all 163 learners diagnosed with dysgraphia enrolled in lower public primary schools within the Emuhaya sub-county. Additionally, the study targeted 16 headteachers from public primary schools, 153 teachers, and 10 subcounty Education officers in the same sub-county. The researcher utilized stratified sampling to select 5 public primary schools. Purposive sampling was used to select 5 headteachers from the sampled schools. Similarly, purposive sampling was employed to select 6education officers from the Emuhaya sub-county. The researcher sampled 50 lower primary school teachers and 50 learners identified with dysgraphia from grade 1 to grade 3 in the sampled schools using simple random sampling. The researcher employed a combination of open and closed questionnaires, as well as interview guides, to gather data from different categories of participants. A pilot study was conducted in two public primary schools, which were not included in the main data collection. Qualitative data underwent content analysis, while quantitative data was analyzed using frequencies and percentages with SPSS. Results indicated that schools in Emuhaya utilized various access arrangements for students with dysgraphia. Dysgraphia was found to impact academic performance negatively, but with intervention, student performance improved by 5%–10% in successive exams. Students reported a positive change in attitude towards education due to the intervention, feeling supported by the school. The study concluded that access arrangements have an impact on the academic performance of students with dysgraphia. Before the intervention, dysgraphia hurt students' academic performance, as evidenced by poor performance in previous exams. The study recommended that the government need to implement a systematic identification method for documenting students with learning disabilities early in their academic journey. Early identification and intervention can significantly improve outcomes for dysgraphia students and facilitate timely support and resources. Schools should prioritize the implementation of recommended interventions to support dysgraphia students, promote inclusivity, and foster a positive attitude towards education among all students, regardless of their learning needs.
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    Evaluation of Access Arrangement and Assessment of Dysgraphic Learners in Public Primary Schools in Vihiga County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2024-09) Mulima, Emmanuel Ian
    The study focused on exploring the impact of access arrangements on assessing learners with dysgraphia in lower-primary schools in Emuhaya Sub-County, Vihiga County. It aimed to understand the existing access arrangement methods, assess the prevalence of dysgraphia, and evaluate student performance through assessment tests. The study was framed within Robert Gagne’s Conditions of Learning theory from 1965. A pilot study was conducted in two public primary schools, not included in the main data collection. Data was gathered through questionnaires and interviews from a sample of 60 respondents: 50 learners with special needs, five class teachers, and five county education officers. Qualitative data underwent content analysis, while quantitative data was analyzed using frequencies and percentages with SPSS. Results indicated that schools in Emuhaya utilized various access arrangements for students with dysgraphia. The most common methods were providing extra time (32.5%), supervised rest breaks (30%), and separate invigilation (20%). Other methods such as prompting, scribing, transcription, and word processing were used less frequently. Five students who underwent pre- and post-intervention assessment showed a 5–10% improvement in performance after intervention. Notably, when provided with 25% extra time, students could complete exams more effectively. Access arrangements available to dysgraphia students in public lower-primary schools included prompters, scribes, extra time, transcripts, separate invigilation, word processors, and supervised breaks. Supervised breaks, extra time, and separate invigilation were the most common, while others were used less frequently or in combination. Dysgraphia was found to negatively impact academic performance, but with intervention, student performance improved by 5%–10% in successive exams. Students reported a positive change in attitude towards education due to the intervention, feeling supported by the school. The study recommended a unified approach in the county to address dysgraphia students' academic needs, early identification methods for learning disabilities, and implementation of recommended interventions to improve student attitudes towards education.