Special Needs Education

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    PublicationOpen Access
    Influence of School Resources on Academic Performance of Visually Impaired Learners in Integrated Public Primary Schools in Baringo County, Kenya
    (European Journal of Special Education Research, 2021-07) Konga, Dinah Jepkorir; Cheboi, Stephen Tomno
    Despite the provision of school resources by Kenyan government through the Ministry of Education, there has been an outcry from stakeholders owing to dismal performance among Visually Impaired Learners at Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination in Marigat and Kabartonjo Sub-Counties. The purpose of this study was to establish the extent to which school resources influence academic performance of visually impaired learners in integrated primary schools in Baringo County. The study adopted mixed methods methodology where data was collected by use of questionnaires, interview, and observation guides to obtain both quantitative and qualitatively data, respectively. The target population involved501 participants comprising 2 head teachers, 68 regular teachers, 49 VI learners, 380 sighted learners and 2 Educational Assessment Resource Centers (EARC) officers. From this population, a total sample of298 participants was drawn. Simple random sampling technique was used to draw 59 regular teachers, 191 sighted learners and 44 VI learners, while 2 EARC officers and 2 head teachers were purposively sampled. Data was collected using questionnaires for teachers and sighted learners, interview guide for heard teachers and EARC, and observation checklist for Visually Impaired respondents. The tools were piloted to establish their reliability and adequately validated. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics while thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. The study found out that inadequate learning materials was a major cause of low academic performance of VI learners in Marigat and Kabartonjo integrated public primary schools. It further established that there were inadequate learning resources, support services and a learning environment that was not conducive for VI learners. The study recommends that the government provides more learning resources to VI learners and school management to provide barrier free learning environment. This study results would be of great value to teachers, parents, head teachers, schools, stakeholders, and Ministry of Education in enhancing academic performance of the V.I learners in Integrated schools.
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    PublicationOpen Access
    Parental Involvement as a Predictor of Pre-Primary School Learners’ Acquisition of Collaborative Competencies in Ganze, Kilifi County Kenya
    (Journal of Education and Practice, 2023-09-30) Santa, Kazungu Joyce
    This study aimed to investigate the relationship between parental involvement and collaborative learning competencies among pre-primary school learners in Ganze, Kilifi County, Kenya. A descriptive research design was employed to gather data from parents, teachers, and learners. The researchers utilized a stratified random sampling technique to ensure a representative sample. The study reveals that parental involvement is a significant predictor of pre-primary school learners' acquisition of collaborative competencies in Ganze, Kilifi County, Kenya. The model utilized in the study explains 88.3% of the total variance in collaborative competencies, indicating a strong relationship between the dependent and independent variables. The results demonstrate that parental involvement, learners' achievement of collaborative skills, and determinants of parental involvement significantly influence collaborative competencies. Specifically, when the independent variables are held constant, parental involvement/activities contribute 27.6%, learners' achievement of collaborative skills contributes 20.2%, and determinants of parental involvement contribute 44.5% towards collaborative competencies. These findings highlight the importance of actively involving parents in supporting and promoting collaborative learning among pre-primary school learners. By recognizing and fostering parental involvement, educators and stakeholders can enhance the development of collaborative competencies in young learners, ultimately contributing to their overall educational outcomes. The study made various recommendations: To strengthen parental involvement and collaborative competencies, actively engage parents in learning activities and establish a strong partnership with educators, maintain regular communication with parents, provide resources, and offer training opportunities to support their involvement,
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    PublicationOpen Access
    Influence of Special Needs Teachers on Mainstreaming of Learners With Asd in Public Primary Schools in Kirinyaga Central Sub-county, Kirinyaga County, Kenya
    (International Research Journal of Social Sciences, Education and Humanities, 2023-08-08) Mugo, Lucy Wairimu; Wang’ang’a, Annrose; Nzoka, Stephen
    Educational dynamics play an important role in the mainstreaming of learners with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) into regular classrooms. However, in Kirinyaga Central Sub-county, this is not the case since the number of learners with ASD in public primary schools is low. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of special needs teachers on mainstreaming of learners with ASD in public primary schools. The study was guided by the dynamic theory of school factors. The study applied mixed methodology and thus adopted concurrent triangulation research design. The target group consisted of 1276 respondents, including 52 headteachers, 104 special education teachers, and 1120 learners with ASD. A sample of 304 respondents was selected using Yamane's Formula. Questionnaires were used to collect data from special needs teachers, interview schedules were used to collect data from headteachers whereas observation checklist was used to collect data from learners with ASD. Qualitative data was processed and presented in a narrative style. Quantitative data was analyzed descriptively with frequencies and percentages and inferentially with Correlation Analysis using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS 25) and presented in tables. The study established that the number of learners with ASD enrolled in public primary schools is very low due to the inadequate number of special needs teachers. Thus, the study recommends that the Ministry of Education, through school heads, should recruit more trained special needs teachers in public primary schools
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    PublicationOpen Access
    Analysis of Communicative Adjustment Activities Used to Enhance Speech Production and Use among Children with Mental Disabilities in Special Units in Vihiga County, Kenya
    (International Journal of Educational Research, 2023-07-06) Dembeko, Roselyn Indangasi; Wafula, David Lwangale; Okoth, Hylean Katie; Ochieng, Aluoch Connie
    Communication is an essential aspect of life. Language forms the basis of communication. Communication adjustment refers to the shift in speech style depending on the interlocutors and context for better understanding. Children with mental disabilities suffer from retardation in respect to normal growth especially in their cognitive capacities. Consequently; they suffer from speech and language problems that lead to ineffective communication. They are therefore discriminated. It is in this view that the study analyzed communicative adjustment activities used to enhance speech production and use among children with mental disabilities in Vihiga County, Kenya. The study employed descriptive survey design. Sample was drawn from the special units in Vihiga County, Kenya. Data was collected using observation schedule and questionnaire. The instruments. Data analysis was through descriptive statistics; specifically frequency counts and percentages. The study found out that communicative adjustment activities enhance speech production and use among children with mild mental disabilities in Vihiga County. This calls for language instructors to be well grounded in a variety of communicative adjustment activities. The instructors’ level of understanding of the adjustment activities and their appropriate application will always enhance the speech production and use among the mentally challenged children. The study further found out that there was a relationship between communication adjustment skills and oral language use in children mental disabilities in Vihiga County. According to Cregan, 1998, as cited in Shiel et al., 2012 oral language is the first, most important and most frequently used structured medium of communication. It is the primary medium through which each individual child will be enabled to structure, to evaluate, to describe and to control his/her experience. It was noted that using fun activities to educate children with mild mental disabilities boost their oral language use. The use of storytelling to teach children with mild mental disabilities improves their use of oral language. It was found out those using interactive activities at home to teach communication skills to children with mild mental disabilities enhance their oral language use. It was found out that applying early intervention programmes to teach language skills to children with mild mental disabilities improves their use of oral language. The study further noted that language instructors and caregivers have influence on language production and use among children with mental disabilities in Vihiga County. Language instructors and caregivers can positively or negatively influence language production and use among children with mental disabilities. The caregivers’ language use has a direct influence on language production and use among children with mental disabilities. The training and experience of the language instructor affects the production and use of language by children with mental disabilities. Both the quantity and quality of what caregivers say matter for the mentally disabled children’s learning of language particularly on its production and use. Language instructors and caregivers can ask children with mental disabilities questions starting with words like who, what, when, where and why to encourage them to provide more complex response. Language instructors and caregivers play complementary roles in boosting language production and use among children with mental disabilities
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    PublicationOpen Access
    Influence of Self - Image on Learning Efficacy among the Learners with Physical Impairments in Public Regular Primary Schools in Kitui County
    (East African Journal of Education Studies, 2024-03-14) Ndethya, David; Macharia, Susan; Kimani, Cecilia
    Learners with physical impairments have a right to quality education within regular schools. However, learning efficacy among learners with physical impairments in regular public schools has been on a downward trajectory. Therefore, the objective of this study was to find out how self - image affected learning effic acy among learners with physical impairments in regular public primary schools in Kitui County. Correlational and phenomenological research designs were triangulated to give a unified perspective of the study. A mixed research methodology whereby quantitat ive and qualitative data were concurrently collected was applied. The target population was 89,745 participants, which included 56,875 learners, 2,607 teachers, 30,221 parents and guardians and 42 curriculum support officers. Purposive sampling techniques were used in identifying the sample of the study. The sample size was 265 respondents comprising 162 teachers, 51 learners with physical impairments, 47 parents of the learners with physical impairments and 5 Special Needs Curriculum Support Officers. Data collection tools were questionnaires, an interview schedule, observation checklists and a focused group discussion guide. Quantitative data were computed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25, and results were analysed through descriptive methods and inferential statistics. Qualitative data was analysed thematically and presented in narrative form. From the findings, the researcher established that there was a significant relationship between self - image and learning efficacy am ong learners with physical impairments in regular schools. Poor self - image among the learners with physical impairments triggered by negative attitudes and stereotypes from the school community were impediments to the learning efficacy among the learners w ith physical impairments. The study recommended educational psychologists, special needs curriculum support officers and teachers to spearhead psychological makeups among the learners with physical impairments to appreciate themselves and improve their lea rning efficacy .