Analysis of Special Needs Educational Support Services on Academic Performance of Learners with Physical Disabilities in Kiambu County, Kenya.
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Date
2021
Authors
Ndung’u, Pauline Njeri
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
The purp
ose of this study was to analyze special needs educational support services on
academ ic performance of learners with physical disabi lities in Kiambu County, Kenya.
The objectives of the study were to find out how provision of mobility and self help
skills influence academic performance of learners with physical disabilities, find out how
provision of counseling and medical skills influence academic performance of learners
with physical disabilities, find out how multidisciplinary services are offered to learners
with physical disabilities and determine the challenges faced by teachers and
professionals in providing support services to learners with physical disabilities. The
study adopted survey research design, employing survey method to achieve the
objectives. The study was guided by Social Cognitive Theory The target population for
this study was 120 learners with physical disabilities, 400 teachers and 12 professionals
such as social workers, counselors, nurses and occupa tional therapists. P urposive
sampling was used to select four professionals and stratified ra ndom sampling technique
was used to select thirty six learners and one hundred and twenty teachers.
Q uestionnaires were used to collect information from learners and teachers and interview
guide to collect information from professionals . The quantitative data was sorted, coded
an d keyed into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software and presented
using descriptive statistics where tables of frequencies and percentages were used. The
qualitative data was edited, organized into themes and categories and presented in
di scussion form. The find ings revealed that support services helped the learners to
participate in class, socialize with others and improved the performance of the learners.
There was collaboration with professionals and teachers . The counselors, social work er
and teachers mostly visited the schools and professionals faced challenges such as heavy
workload, financial problems and some parents were uncooperative when called upon by
the professionals. The conclusion of the study was that support services helped the
learners to participate and socialize hence improved performance of learners. The
recommendations were as follows: School management of learners with physical
disabilities should be keen in provision of adequate self help skills to learners by
employi ng an occupational therapist. School administration should employ nurses to
offer medical services to learners, the ministry of education should deploy more
professionals for schools with learners with physical disabilities and provide funds for
buying mat erials and equipment and the parents should be encouraged by schools to be
cooperative with professionals.
Description
A research thesis submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Degree of Master of Education in (Special Needs Education) in the School of Education of Kenyatta University, January, 2021
Keywords
Analysis ., Special Needs Educational, Support Services, Academic Performance, Learners, Physical Disabilities, Kiambu County, Kenya