RP-Department of Special Needs Education

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The Concept of Inclusive Education: Teacher Training and Acquisition of English Language in the Hearing Impaired
(Wiley, 2004-03) Kangethe, R .K. W.; Wamae, G. M. I.
Three languages are widely used in schools in Kenya – English, Kiswahili and Kenya Sign Language. Many pupils with hearing impairments are taught separately from the mainstream, in specialist settings. The fact that most of the formal teaching, assessment and examination processes in Kenyan schools rely upon spoken and written English compounds the separation of these pupils from the mainstream of education and, potentially, from the mainstream of society. In this article, Gertrude Wamae, graduate assistant in the Department of English and Linguistics at Kenyatta University, and Rachael Kang'ethe-Kamau, lecturer in the Department of Special Education at Kenyatta University, discuss the relationships between language, hearing impairment and inclusion in the Kenyan context. The article suggests that the use of signed exact English would enhance opportunities for inclusion for those with hearing impairments and that programmes of teacher training need to take account of persuasive research in this area. The article closes with a plea for further research, carried out collaboratively by educationalists, linguists, teacher trainers and practitioners, to develop policies and practices suited to more inclusive futures. The article is based on a paper presented to the International Conference on Inclusive Education run by Maseno University in September 2002.
Educating Children with Emotional and/or Behavioral Disabilities in Kenya: A Right or a Privilege?
(2007) Mukuria, G.; Korir, J.; Adera, Beatrice.
In spite of the United Nation's inclusion of education as a right for all in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, many Kenyan children with emotional and behavioral disorders continue to be denied educational opportunities that have been provided for their peers without disabilities. Using surveys, the issues affecting the provision of educational services for children with E/BD in Kenya were explored. Findings indicated that the educational programming for children with E/BD has been negatively impacted by the lack of an explicit government policy on special education, inadequate funding, lack of public awareness and support, and persistent negative traditional beliefs, cultures, and practices. The Kenyan government and citizens must unite in promoting the education of these children as a right rather than a privilege.
Teachers', methods and materials: exploring opportunities and challenges in learning to read in primary schools in two Kenyan contexts
(Nairobi Academic press, 2008) Runo, Mary; Mugo, John Kabutha; Karugu, Geoffrey Kamau
Over recent decades, various studies have decried the rising numbers of non-readers in Kenyanclassrooms, within the context of a growing global phenomenon. This study aimed at ascertainingteachers' capacity to teach reading, the materials that they utilize to teach reading, and the overall challenges and opportunities in teaching reading. A mixed methods design was utilized,with a purposive sample of 8 urban (Nairobi) and 8 rural (Nyeri) primary schools, basedon the best and worst performing schools in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education resultsof the year preceding the study. A total of 34 teachers participated in the study. Findings indicatethat nearly half of the teachers neither taught reading nor knew the methods to use in teachingreading. A third of the teachers (31.9%) used phonics, while another third favoured the whole-word method. The study concludes that lower grade teachers are ill-equipped with methods of teaching reading, while remediation practice is hardly a focus. It would be necessary to introduce reading as a subject at the teacher training level, and designate reading time through the primary education course.
Development of a Guidance Programme for Students with Special Educational Needs in Kenya: A Study on Personal Orientation
(Blackwell Publishing, 2008) Wamocho, Franciscah I.; Karugu, Geoffrey K.; Nwoye, Augustine
In this article, Franciscah Wamocho, lecturer and chairperson, Geoffrey Karugu, senior lecturer, both in the Department of Special Education, and Augustine Nwoye, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology, all from Kenyatta University in Nairobi, argue that people with disabilities are likely to need the support of counselling services. The study reported here sought to collect baseline data that could be used in designing a comprehensive guidance programme for students with disabilities in secondary phase special schools and vocational rehabilitation training centres in Kenya. A personal orientation inventory was employed to measure values and behaviours among 229 students with visual impairments, hearing impairments and physical disabilities. The results reveal that the students with special educational needs may be non-selfactualising. The trend suggests that students with special needs may be living in the past or futurewith a lot of regrets and negative sentiments. Taking account of insights derived from Maslow’s theory of self-actualisation and other related literature, the findings of this study appear to reinforce the need for a guidance and counselling programme to be developed for students with special educational needs in Kenya. This study reveals the direction that such a programme could take if it is to be of benefit to aKenyan clientele with special educational needs.
Predictors of Achievement Motivation Among Kenyan Adolescents
(Thiruvananthapuram, 2009) Muthee, Jessina; Immanuel, Thomas
The present study was carried out to investigate the impact of classroom climate, intelligence, home environment and socio-economic status on achievement motivation of standard eight pupils of Nairobi city, Kenya. A proportionate stratified sample of 101 boys and 99 girls constituted the study sample. Both dependent and independent variables were measured using standardized instruments. Analysis of the data using multiple regressions showed that four independent variables, viz., intelligence, classroom climate, living with relatives and number of sisters jointly and significantly contributed to the prediction of achievement motivation of standard eight pupils (R= . 429; P < . 01). The results further indicated that in terms of magnitude of contribution, intelligence turned out to be the most significant predictor (Beta = .270, t = 3.986, P < .05), followed by class room climate (Beta = .267, t = 3.965, P <.05), living with relatives (Beta = -.156, t = 2.317, P < .05) and number of sisters at home (Beta = 0.148, t = 2.172, P < .05), in the order of significance.
Disability and identity
(Lambert Academic Publishing, 2009) Murugami, M.W.
The concept of "identity" has become both a contested and a fertile field of research and theory in recent years (Watson, 2002). Several assumptions have come into focus: that identity can be structured upon shared social experience; that there are fixed identities of persons with disabilities; and that the self plays a significant role in the formation of identity. However, it is important to understand the rhetoric versus practical realities in order to assess what can free persons with disabilities from fixed identities that have been enforced overtime by regulatory regimes embodied in cultural and societal prejudices. The gist of this paper is the premise that a person with disability has the capability of constructing a self-identity not constituted in impairment but rather independent of it, and of accepting impairment as a reality that he or she lives with without losing a sense of self. Disability in a socio-cultural context can be defined as "a barrier to participation of people with impairments or chronic illnesses arising from an interaction of the impairment or illness with discriminatory attitudes, cultures, policies or institutional practices" (Booth, 2000). Identity is "the condition of being a person and the process by which we become a person, that is, how we are constituted as subjects" (Kidd, 2001).
Enhancing the Full Potential of Persons with Disabilities through Sports in the 21st Century with Reference to Kenya
(Disability Studies Quarterly, 2009-09) Wanderi, P. M.; Mwisukha, A.; Bukhala, Peter W.
As early as 460 BC, Hippocrates, the famous Greek Physician and Father of Medicine acknowledged the importance of exercise for strengthening the body, enhancing recovery from diseases, and for prevention and care of mental problems. Indeed, according to the available literature, regular physical activity has been variously said to prevent osteoporosis, heart problems, type II diabetes mellitus, lower back ache, migraine headaches, among many other infirmities. Sports also liberate and enhance character development. These benefits of sports and exercise to the community must be enjoyed by people with and without disabilities without favor or discrimination. Similarly, a lot has so far been achieved on enhancing the full potential of people with disabilities through sports in Kenya and elsewhere in the world, both historically and in contemporary days. For instance, Pierre de Coubertin's effort in reviving the Modern Olympics in 1896 emanated from his strong desire to transform the French population into a formidable, cohesive nation; a desire that he later extended to the rest of the world. de Coubertin's modern Olympics desire of enhancing people's capacity through sports has today led to the Paralympics movement which ensures among other things that, persons with disabilities are not marginalized in the local and global society. It is in line with this background that Kenya has made a tremendous effort in ensuring a full involvement of the persons with disabilities in sports for the aforementioned benefits. This paper illustrates the efforts that have been made in Kenya today toward enhancing the life of persons with disability via sports programs both within the educational institutions and within the community at large.
Analysis of Guidance and Counseling Program at Thika High School for the Blind, Kenya
(ERIC, 2010) Wamocho, F. I.; Irungu, Mary Wangari
The purpose of this study was to analyze the guidance and counseling program at Thika High School for the Blind, the only residential secondary school for students with visual impairments in Kenya. The study examined the content of the existing guidance and counseling program and whether the teacher counselors were adequately trained to handle the youth with visual impairments. The study adopted the fifth stage of Erikson's psychoanalytic theory (1975), "identity versus role confusion" under which adolescents fall. The theory states that at adolescent stage, the youth with visual impairments experience a major crisis due to rejection, negative attitudes, and social stigma from family, peers and society. The study was descriptive and included observations and a survey design. A sample of 22 subjects which comprised of 16 students who were conveniently sampled plus 4 teachers, 1 deputy principal and 1 head of guidance and counseling department who were purposively sampled. Data were collected through questionnaires supplemented by an interview schedule for the deputy principal, unstructured interview schedule for students, and observation checklists for human resources and physical facilities. The study found that there is need to strengthen guidance and counseling services in Thika High School for the Blind through school-based in-service courses, workshops and seminars for teacher counselor. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)
The Effect of Embossed Picture Technique on Reading Performance of Learners with Hearing Impairments: A Case of Kambui School for the Deaf
(Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 2010) Munyendo, S.M.; Wamocho, F. I.
The purpose of this study was to find out the effect of embossed picture technique when used in teaching reading to the pupils with hearing impairment. The study was guided by Piaget’s theory of human mental development. The study adopted an experimental design. The study was carried out at Kambui School for the hearing impaired located on Githunguri- Ruiru road in Kiambu District, Githunguri Division, Ngewa zone, 3 kilometers off Kwa-Maiko centre. The school was chosen since it caters for all categories of pupils with hearing impairment from nursery to class eight. The school also admits pupils from all over the country. Pupils were assigned randomly to the experimental and control groups. Each group consisted of 9 pupils totaling 18. Data were collected from both experimental and control groups for a period of 6 weeks. Criterion reference test (CTR) was used as a pre-test and post-test for the purpose of data collection. Non-parametric tests such as the Mann- Whitney test and the Wilcoxon sum of rank test were used to test the significant difference in performance in reading of pupils with hearing impairment taught with embossed picture technique and those taught with “look and say” method. To determine if there was any significant effect of the degree of hearing loss on performance of pupils with hearing impairment in reading, and the difference in performance of pupils of different ages when taught with embossed picture technique, the Kruskal-Wallis one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) which takes care of small samples were used with the different degrees of hearing loss and the different ages as factors. The results showed that there is a high statistical significant difference between pupils taught with embossed picture technique and those taught with the look and say method. The results revealed that there is no significant age effect on reading performance of pupils with hearing impairment of different ages taught with embossed picture technique. Finally, the study revealed that there is no significant performance difference in reading of pupils with hearing impairment at different degrees of hearing loss when taught with embossed picture technique.
Socio-demographic Correlates of Academic Achievement Among Kenyan Adolescents
(Thiruvananthapuram, 2010) Muthee, Jessina; Immanuel, Thomas
The present study was undertaken to explore the socio-demographic correlates of academic achievement among Kenyan adolescents. A proportionate stratified sample of standard eight pupils (101 boys and 99 girls) were used for the study. The important variables considered in the study were gender, type of school, socio-economic status, and home environment. Statistical techniques like Pearson r and t-tests were used for analyzing the data. The results indicated that almost all the socio-demographic variables, viz., educational status of father and mother, occupational status of father, monthly income of the family, overall socio-economic status of the family, home environment, and number of brothers of the respondents, correlated positively with academic performance. At the same time, occupational status of the mother and number of sisters of the respondents failed to show significant relationship with academic performance. The results oft — tests revealed that there is no gender difference in academic performance, but significant differences existed between public and private schools in percentage of marks obtained by the students.
The Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Academic Achievement of Girls with Hearing Impairments in Secondary Schools for the Deaf in Kenya
(American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 2010) Awori, Beatrice Bunyasi; Mugo, John K.; Orodho, John A.; Karugu, G. K.
Several factors had been cited as contributing to the perpetually dismal academic achievement of girls with hearing impairment in Kenya. Personal esteem factors had not been adequately explored. The study used Carl Roger’s client-centered theory and an Expost facto design. Rosenberg self-esteem scale was used to measure self-esteem dimensions. School academic scores were used to measure academic achievement. A sample of fifty-three girls was drawn. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. The results: girls with hearing impairment possessed positive/high self-esteem but academic achievement was low. It was concluded that girls with hearing impairment placed more value on relational aspects (grooming), music and dance. They lagged behind due to lack of specialized technological devices. The study recommended: teachers to make deliberate use of positive reinforcement; principals to initiate active collaborations with interested partners; the government to make the curriculum more flexible and curriculum developers to reconsider curricula adaptation. Kenya National Examination Council to focus on practical assessment and/or use of sign language interpreters. The government to increase disability fund and provide opportunities for capacity building for assistive-devices-technicians. Further research in the area of teachers’ proficiency in Kenya Sign Language to be conducted.
Relatioship between home environment, academic achievement motivation and performance for pupils with hearing impairement in central province, Kenya
(2011-11-21) Mwangi, Lucy Wanjira; Njoroge, M.N.; Tumuti, S. T.
The study examined the relationship between home environment and academic performance of' upper primary pupils with hearing impairment in Central Province, Kenya. The study was based on Atkinson's motivation theory. From the literature reviewed, it. was realized that a strong positive correlation between academic performance and home environment existed (Kapila 1976). In addition, a weak correlation between academic motivation and academic performance was also noted in a study by Maundu (1980). A sample of'75 upper primary pupils classes (5,6,7,8) between the ages of fourteen and eighteen were randomly selected from three primary schools for the hearing impaired in Central Province. Survey design was used whereby two questionnaires were used to collect data. The academic achievement motivation questionnaire (SP profile) was used to obtain information on pupils' level of academic achievement motivation. The home environment questionnaire was used to collect information on pupils' home environment. The result of the end of the year 2005 was used as a measure of their academic performance. For data analysis, statistical software, SPSS was utilized. Pearson's product -- moment correlation analysis and two-tailed t-test for mean differences were used to test the hypotheses. The hypotheses were tested at a significant level of 0.05. The findings showed there were no significant relationships between academic achievement motivation and academic performance: The correlation coefficients ranged between (r == 0.077 --0.323). In 70 percent of the respondents, it was found that home environment played a crucial role in determining the academic performance of' children with hearing impairment. Sex was also found to influence their academic motivation and their academic performance: The mean for academic achievement motivation score of boys (X. = 51.70) was higher than that of the girls (X = 51.13). The study, therefore, recommended that parents, teachers and educationists should try to ensure that the children with hearing impairment have favourable home environment in order to achieve success in school.
A developmental career guidance and Counselling process for learners with disabilities: Preparation for employment
(Taylor & Francis, 2012) Murugami, M.; Nel, Norma M.
This research explored the role of guidance and counselling in preparing learners for work from primary to university levels of education. It explored current status of learners with visual impairment regarding their ability to understand abilities and potentials, realistically accepting limitations and making independent career decisions. The study adopted Career Development and Self-efficacy Theories as bases of exploration. Proponents of these theories assume that career development process facilitates development of vocational self-concept and decision-making self-efficacy. The premise was that a correct self-image as a worker contributes to the person environment match, facilitating self-actualization to impact on future employment outcomes. Major findings indicated linear relationship between vocational self-concept and decision-making self-efficacy, implying increased development as learners progressed in education. However, learners portrayed limited awareness on impact of severity of disability. This affirmed need for developmental career guidance and counselling process for learners with disabilities, culminating to suggested model by Murugami (2010).
Leadership and Political Corruption in Kenya: Analysis of the 2010 Constitutional Provisions on the Presidency
(School of Social Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2013) Mutula, Stephen; Muna, Wilson K.; Koma, Geoffrey P.
This article is an attempt to establish a link between the abuse of power in the Presidency, and how this manipulation has been addressed by the new Constitution 2010 in Kenya. This study has reviewed available literature to interrogate this correlation. Rampant corruption that has contributed to a huge loss of resources in Kenya has been attributed to the arbitrary power vested in the executive. Following Independence in 1963, Jomo Kenyatta, the first president of the Republic of Kenya, concentrated on amassing political power under the control of the central government. Moi, his successor from 1978, continued this legacy by tightening the control of Kenyan public life in all spheres, including politics, administration, and management of public finance. The presidency took over control of almost all the sectors of the Kenyan economy. Moreover, it had control over the state’s finances with little, if any, accountability. This study has found out that corruption in Kenya has notoriously revolved around the Presidency and those who demonstrated loyalty to the ruling elite. Consequently, this central control was evident in the imbalance in regional development. The abuse of power and inefficiency of the three presidencies of Kenyatta, Moi and Kibaki left Kenya susceptible to poor social, political and economic development. It is noteworthy that the Constitution 2010 has launched relevant institutions that have the potential of enhancing checks and balances in managing public resources. If these institutions deliver according to the mandate accorded them, there is a true promise in curbing corruption and maintaining good and accountable governance in Kenya.
Current alcohol use and mental health of adolescents among secondary school students in Nakuru county, Kenya
(Nairobi Academic Press, 2013-07) Oteyo, J.S.; Mwenje, M.
Adolescents engage in behaviours that compromise their health and futurepotentials. However, these behaviours are preventable. The current study was designed to establish the association between current alcohol use and the mental health state of secondary school students in Nakuru County, Kenya. Multi-stage cluster, stratified proportionate and simple random samplingmethods were used to selectparticipating divisions (n=6), schools (n=14) and students (n=1000). Global School based Health Survey (GSHS) was used to collect data on health risk behaviours. Sixteen percent (n=161) of students reported use of alcohol 30 days prior to the survey and of these 23.6 (n=38) and 32.9% (n=53) reported a low state of mental health and had seriously considered attempting suicide.The study established that an alcohol drinker was 1.3 (95% C.I: 1.282-1.878) times likely to report a low state of mental health than an alcohol abstainer. A co-occurrence between adolescents' mental health and alcohol use provide an opportunity to draw together separate areas of research in designing a comprehensive approach that may promote better health and education outcomes in secondary schools.
Teachers, methods and materials: Exploring opportunities and challenges in learning to read in primary schools in two Kenyan contexts
(Nairobi Academic Press, 2013-07) Runo, M. N.; Kabutha, John Mugo; Kamau, Geoffrey Karugu
Over recent decades, various studies have decried the rising numbers of non-readers in Kenyanclassrooms, within the context of a growing global phenomenon. This study aimed at ascertainingteachers' capacity to teach reading, the materials that they utilize to teach reading, andthe overall challenges and opportunities in teaching reading. A mixed methods design was utilizedw, ith a purposive sample of 8 urban (Nairobi) and 8 rural (Nyeri) primary schools, basedon the best and worst performing schools in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education resultsof the year preceding the study. A total of 34 teachers participated in the study. Findings indicatethat nearly half of the teachers neither taught reading nor knew the methods to use in teachingreading. A third of the teachers (31.9%) used phonics, while another third favoured thewhole-word method. The study concludes that lower grade teachers are ill-equipped withmethods of teaching reading, while remediation practice is hardly a focus. It would be necessaryto introduce reading as a subject at the teacher training level, and designate reading timethrough the primary education course.
Implications of schooling on social participation of young persons who are deaf in Nyeri county, Kenya
(Nairobi Academic Press, 2013-07) Sore, Inviolata lunani; Wawire, V. K.; Mugo, John Kabutha
While social participation is a fundamental human right, persons who are deaf face barriers in achieving meaningful social integration. This study sought to deterrnine the contribution of schooling as an enabler to social participation for young persons with deafness. Within a qualitative design, life narratives of six (6) young person were documented by using semi-structured interviews, an observation guide, visual images and a focus group discussion. The six (6) accounts were complemented with interviews of significant others. The study establishes that largely, schooling is significant enabler to social participation, with the greatest contribution of schooling being communication and social skills. Subsequently, levels of participation vary with quantity of schooling. This paper concludes that even when other determinants of social participation may be influential, schooling is certainly essential to facilitate social integration of young persons who are deaf. However, even with the same level of schooling, social organization and family background emerge as key factors 0f influence to social participation.
Poor , disabled and unemployed: linking education to labour market outcomes for persons with physical disabilities in Nyeri, Kenya
(Nairobi Academic Press, 2013-07) Kagume, Felishina Mumbi; Mugo, John Kabutha; Chege, Fatuma N.
A widely-held belief is that education affects people's economic status by facilitating access to the labour market and raising their earnings. This paper explores the linkage between education and its labour market outcomes for young persons with physical disabilities in the context of poverty. Specifically,the paper analyses the strength of education as an enabler of access to job markets, and how this varies at different exit points in the education system. Data were collected from Nyeri District in Kenya, from a total of 30 participants in 2 different sites (urban and rural). The study utilized the qualitative interview, while the data were analysed using Atlas.ti. The analysis establishes that education levels notwithstanding, young persons with physical disabilities are evidently closed out of the skilled and formal labour markets. It concludes that disability and poverty interact to create a string of inhibitions to job markets, and that any high level of schooling needs to be coupled with strategies that break this cycle.
Analysis of professional qualifications of teachers educating learners with disabilities in regular public primary schools in Thika West District, Kiambu County: Kenya
(Nairobi academic Press, 2013-07-01) Njuguna, Milka Njeri; Otube, Nelly; Runo, M. N.
The study aimed at establishing the professional qualifications of teachers educating learners with learning disabilities. It embarked on interviews for head teachers, semi-structured questionnaires for teachers and finally a lesson observation schedule for learners with learning disabilities. The study was conducted in Thika West District. The sample size comprised 4 head teachers, 32 teachers and 64leamers making a total of 100 respondents. Data collected were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings of the study were that all teachers had professional qualifications to teach classes 1-4 but the majority had not specialized in the area of ill. The teachers did not have knowledge and tools for identifying learners with ill.~~study concluded that inadequate knowledge for. identification of ill and lack of appropriate identification tools could be the reason why learners with ill were not receiving appropriate instruction. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education facilitate workshops and in-service courses for teachers to enable them acquire adequate knowledge in identification of these learners. There is a need to develop standardized identification and assessment tools.
The role of education towards social equity in kenya with reference to vulnerable groups
(Nairobi Academic Press, 2013-07-01) Nzoka, S. M.
The constitutional provision for the right to health (Social Assistance Bill, 2012) in Kenya . states that every person has the right to health, accessible and adequate housing, reasonable standards of sanitation, adequate food and safe drinking water, social security and education . This study sought to establish the role that education played in ensuring social equity amongst vulnerable groups, specifically the deaf Countrywide representative samples of 5 schools were the basis of this study, namely, Kitui Integrated School , Kilimani Integrated, Kanyuambora Integrated, Thika Primary School and Kajiado Integrated School . The study found that there is a shortage of integrated schools in the country. Teachers as well as parents though largely aware of special schools, were not supportive of the education. In addition, Kenya was found not ready for inclusive schools given the j hottage of teachers, poor pay, low morale and inadequate facilities and equipment in the already crowded public schools. However, Free Primary Education was found to be an impetus towards true inclusivity for all, especiall y the deaf It is hoped that the findings of this stud y will go a long way in protecting . the human rights of vulnerable groups as enshrined in Article 43 of the Soci a l Assistance Bill , 2012 and in helping us attain poverty reduction - by 2030. It is recommended that further researCh be done countrywide to establish key probleni areas to be addressed in helping us provide adequate and quality education, health services ; and supportive legislation for the deaf

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