Teachers’ Perception of Transition Preparedness by Learners with Physical Disabilities Towards Employment: Joytown, Joyland and Mombsasa Special Secondary Schools, Kenya

Abstract

The study sought to find out teachers’ competency of transition preparedness by learners with physical disabilities (PD) towards employment: Joytown, Joyland and Mombasa Special Secondary Schools in Kenya. The descriptive survey research design was used to find out teachers competency of learners preparedness towards employment. The study adopted both qualitative and quantitative research approaches where mixed method design was used to collect and analyze the data. The study was carried out in Joytown in Thika West, Kiambu County, Mombasa Secondary in Mombasa County and Joyland in Kisumu County. Purposive sampling was used to select the three physically handicapped Special Secondary Schools, which were the earliest to be established by missionaries in Kenya. The piloting of the instruments was conducted in Joytown special school to form three learners and all teachers teaching form one and form three who were not included in the main study. Interview schedule was administered to administrators while the teachers and learners with physical disabilities filled the questionnaires. Self-efficacy theory was used to interpret dynamics specifically for teachers and learners with physical disabilities in the classroom. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze quantitative data while Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis System (CAQDAS) was used to analyze interview schedules. The importance of this study was to create awareness of preparedness by teachers to enable learners with physical disabilities to transit to employment enhanced by teachers’ teaching strategies, availability of resources and knowledge of pre-vocational activities that enhanced their perception towards learners with physical disabilities. After the findings, the researcher recommended that Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) should develop curriculum contents, which will suit the needs of learners with special needs including those with physical disabilities. The findings may enhance appropriate pre-vocational skills for learners with physical disabilities because it has a futuristic relevance, widens the scope of individual economic activities, and reduces the burden of dependency on others. Further, it hopes to provide educational planners and policy-makers with a framework on which policies can improve the quality of teaching special needs education hence facilitate transition preparedness to employment for learners with physical