Evaluation of development and implementation of individualized educational programme by teachers of learners with intellectual disabilities in Kisumu and Nairobi Counties, Kenya

Abstract

This was a descriptive study which sought to evaluate the development and implementation of individualised educational programme by teachers of learners with intellectual disabilities in special schools and units in Kisumu and Nairobi counties, Kenya. To achieve this, the study was guided by the following objectives: to explore the criteria followed by teachers in developing and implementing Individualized Education Programme (IEP) for learners with intellectual disabilities, to establish the involvement of multidisciplinary team in developing and implementing IEP, to investigate the availability of resource materials for developing and implementing IEP, and to generally document the challenges encountered by teachers in developing and implementing the IEP. The target were the two counties, 6 special schools, 41 units and 47 headteachers who were purposively selected. Stratified random sampling was used to select 993 teachers. Purposive sampling procedure was used to select schools and units in Kisumu and Nairobi counties. Questionnaires, interviews, document analysis and observation, were used to collect data after which Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze. The qualitative data from the interviews and observations were analyzed using descriptive and thematic text. Quantitative data from the questionnaire with a Likert Scale was analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis. Data analysis and interpretation revealed that teachers assessed learners in academic skills, adaptive skills, reading skills, writing skills, spelling skills, motor skills and social skills. Findings indicate that a multidisciplinary team was involved and that the teachers reported on how they developed the IEP. The research findings showed that learning resources were inadequate in schools and IEP also lacks resources and materials, sufficient funds and time for its implementation. The study established schools face many challenges namely: lack of good will from parents and sometimes from teachers and lack of support from headteachers and other stakeholders. Ministry of Education has also failed in terms of policy to reinforce the development and implementation of IEP in special schools and units for learners with intellectual disability. Generally, there is need for good concerted efforts among all stakeholders for IEP to be fully and effectively developed and implemented in the schools.