Strategies for Enhancing Access and Retention of Learners with Visual Impairments in Universal Primary Education Schools in South Western Uganda Region

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate strategies for enhancing access and retention of Learners with Visual Impairments (LVI) in regular Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools in South Western Uganda. The study was conducted in seven districts within South Western Uganda. This area was selected because it had a high concentration of LVI enrolled in regular UPE schools. The study was based on Access theory by Ribot & Peluso (2003), supplemented by Adaptation theory by Sherrill (2008). A mixed method research design was used, which involved both qualitative and quantitative descriptive methods. The study targeted a population of LVI enrolled in regular UPE schools, LVI enrolled in established integrated schools, teachers of LVI, head teachers of schools with large numbers of LVI, and Inspectors of schools in charge of Special Needs Education. A sample of 147 respondents was selected from a population of 498 people. Purposive and systematic sampling procedures were applied. Purposive sampling procedure was applied in selecting the region, districts, schools, LVI enrolled in regular UPE schools, teachers, head teachers and inspectors of schools in charge of SNE. Systematic sampling procedure was applied to select LVI enrolled in established integrated schools. The instruments used for collecting data were questionnaires, interviews schedules, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) guides and observation schedules. To ascertain validity and reliability of the instruments, independent judges were used to review them, test re – test was done and a pilot study was conducted. Data obtained from close – ended items of the questionnaire were analyzed quantitatively, while data obtained from open ended items were analyzed qualitatively. Data collected using interview, observation and FGD was coded, quantified, categorized and analyzed following the themes derived from the research objectives. Findings were presented using descriptive methods. The major finding was that most of the required facilities to help LVI access learning were missing in regular UPE schools. The study concluded that; overall, the strategies for enhancing access and retention of LVI were generally lacking in regular UPE schools. The study recommended that government should guarantee good quality education to LVI in regular UPE schools by providing human and financial resources as a way to reinforce the UPE policy (1997) which gave priority to children with disabilities to access regular UPE schools