Academic impediments students with visual impairments encounter in the Colleges of University of Rwanda
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Date
2015-08
Authors
Nasiforo, Beth Mukarwego
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
The Purpose of this research was to investigate academic impediments
students with visual impairments encounter in the colleges of the University of
Rwanda. This study addressed the following objectives: the suitability of
teaching methods used in colleges of the university of Rwanda to
accommodate students with Visual Impairment; lectures ability to adapt to the
learning/teaching resources available in public colleges to suit academic needs
of students with visual impairments; determine the extent to which lecturers
adapt the teaching/learning resources and examinations to suit the needs of
students with visual impairment; how administrative staff facilitate the
learning of students with visual impairments in inclusive colleges and how
orientation and mobility affect the learning of students with visual
impairments in inclusive colleges. The researcher used descriptive survey
design. The study was carried out at the college of arts and social sciences in
Huye District in the Southern Province and college of Education in Gasabo
District in Kigali city. The target population was 1405 respondents who
included deans of faculties, resource room managers, lecturers, all learners
with visual impairments and all level four sighted learners. A sample size of
125 respondents was obtained through the use of purposive sampling,
stratified random sampling and snow ball methods. Questionnaires and
interview guides were used to collect data. Content validity was tested to
ascertain whether the item s in the questionnaires were suitable for their task.
The correlation indicated that there was a strong positive correlation between
two tests of scores where r=0.829 for the lecturers questionnaire and 0.801 for
the students questionnaire. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive
statistics. Findings showed that majority of respondents confirmed that the
curriculum was not adapted, learning resources which aid in the learning of
students with visual impairment were not available and the learning resources
available and examinations were not adapted by the lecturers to suit the needs
of students with visual impairment. Staff development was done in other areas
but inclusive education was still at a very low level and majority of the
students with visual impairment were not trained in orientation and mobility
and did not have white canes. It was recommended that the Ministry of
Education should provide funds for organizing seminars and workshops in the
area of the SNE to allow lecturers to be able to teach effectively. The
University curriculum and the environment of the University should be
adapted to accommodate students with VI.
Description
A thesis submitted to school of education in fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Kenyatta University