School Administration Related Factors that Influence Access to and use of ICT in Special Schools of Learners with Visual Impairment
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Date
2023-08
Authors
Keitany, Julia Jelagat
Muthee, Jessina
Ondigi, Samsom Rosina
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
IJMRA
Abstract
: The infusion of Information communication technology into teaching and learning in schools is growing by day.
Information Communication Technology is now a reliable source of knowledge for transforming and reforming education.
However, the school administrators’ personal beliefs and theoriesabout integration of ICT in teaching and learning are widely
considered to play a central role in the implementation of the newtechnologies in schools. Therefore, given the role the head
teachersplay, there is need to investigate their influence in the access to anduse of ICT in special schools of learners with visual
impairments.The findings are significant for it would help policy makers to understand the role of school administration in the
implementation of ICT in special schools with learners with visualimpairments. The objective of the study was to establish school
administration factors that influence access to and use of ICT in special schools for leaners with visual impairments in Kenya. The
study adopted descriptive survey design. The study targeted sevenpublic special primary schoolsforleaners with visual impairments
with a population of 1667, 161 teachers, seven head teachers, sevencomputer teachers and seven ministry of education officers.
The study sampled three schools situated in different counties in the country; Kiambu county, Meru county and Mombasa county.
Judgmental sampling technique, stratified random sampling and simple random sampling were used to draw the samples. The
samples consisted of three primary schools for leaners with visualimpairment, 168 learners, 18 class teachers, 3 computer
teachers, three head teachers and three Ministry If Education officials in the counties where the schools are situated. Data
collection instruments were questionnaires, interview schedules and observation schedules. Content validity was determined by
seeking expert review. The Cronbach Alpha formula was used to compute the reliability of the instruments. A reliability co efficient
of 0.72 was used to judge the reliability of the instruments. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study
found that head teachers are willing to support the learners with visual impairment to access and use ICT in the schools. However,
there are hindering factors such as unstable internet connection, low teachers’ capacity to use ICT, lack of enough time allocated
toICT learning, some of the head teachers had little knowledge on how to get adapted ICTs for learners with visual impairment
andfinally, there was no mechanism or model for accessibility of the ICT and other assistive resources for learners with visual
impairments in the schools. The study recommended that the government through the ministry of education to train head
teachers and teachers on the use of ICT suitable for learners withvisual impairments in schools and ensure their functionality and
availability. There is also need for a model for access of ICT and provision of the learning support for the learners with visual
impairments in the special primary schools in Kenya.
Description
Article
Keywords
School administrators, access and use of ICT, special schools, school managers’ personal beliefs in ICT
Citation
Keitany, J. J., Muthee, J., & Ondigi, S. R. School Administration Related Factors that Influence Access to and use of ICT in Special Schools of Learners with Visual Impairment.