ABSTRACT
Assistive Technologies (ATs) is defined as a piece of equipment or a product system or a hardware/ software or service used to increase, maintain or improve functional capabilities of learners with visual impairment. This study focused on how the ATs could support the learning of Mathematics for the Visually Impaired Learners in St. Oda School for the Blind in Kenya. The study was guided by four objectives: (a)to investigate available forms of ATs used to support the learning of Mathematics among the Visually Impaired Learners (b) to establish the challenges experienced by the Visually Impaired Learners in learning Mathematics using ATs in St. Oda School for the Visually Impaired Learners(c) to determine the level of integration of ATs in the teaching and learning of Mathematics for the Visually Impaired Learners in the school understudy and (d) to establish the impact of integrating ATs in learning Mathematics among the Visually Impaired Learners in St. Oda School for the Visually Impaired Learners. The target population comprised of the Visually Impaired Learners in St.Oda School for the Visually Impaired in Kenya. The study used a descriptive survey design. A stratified random sampling technique was used to sample the learners according to class and gender, and the sample size was taken at 13.6 percent. The purposeful sampling technique was used to get the Mathematics teachers who gave the ATs facilities and services to the Visually Impaired Learners. The questionnaires, interview schedules, observation schedules and observation checklist were employed for data collection. In assessing the reliability and validity of the research instruments, piloting was done at Kibos School for the Blind and the data collected was coded and analyzed manually using descriptive statistics. The measures of central tendency, percentages, frequency distribution tables, and graphs were used. The study established that Assistive Technologies for the teaching and learning of Mathematics in the school were inadequate. The research indicated that the learners had challenges in utilizing ATs that supported learning of Mathematics like the abacus. The study also established that there were other challenges like the thirty-five- minute Mathematics lesson proved tedious. Based on the data collected, the level of integration and the impact of ATs in the learning of Mathematics ranged between average (50 percent) and zero. With these findings, the impact ofATs in the learning of Mathematics for the Visually Impaired Learners ranged between average (50 percent) and zero.
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
Background to the study
Disability is a condition characterized by physical, cognitive, psychological or social difficulty so severe that it negatively affects learning to full potential. In the Americans with Disabilities Act, disability is defined as a condition that limits a major life activity. Disability is any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or interact with the world effectively. Disability may be physical, psychiatric, intellectual, visual, hearing or neurological. The disabled learners may lack excellent educational opportunities hence Assistive Technologies (ATs) to aid their learning has become a global concern. The ATs from the World Health Organization (WHO) definition is a tool or equipment used to capture or improve the capabilities of disabled persons(WHO, 2007; Hersh & Johnson, 2010).
Visually Impaired Learners (VIL) are learners who have vision loss to such a degree as to qualify for additional support as the condition cannot be corrected by conventional means, such as refractive correction or medication. Educating the VIL poses challenges unlike the sighted ones. The VIL have trouble in eyesight. Eyesight obstacles cause them to have problems in day-to-day activities. Learning forms one of the most critical events in an individual’s life and thus for learners with visual impairment, education is equally vital. It is through learning that self-knowledge is acquired (Senjam, 2019). According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations, everyone has the right to education and professional assistance must be availed (Nations, 2015). The most significant reason for educating the VIL is to empower them and make them self-reliant. To accomplish the empowerment, the Assistive Technologies come in handy for their educational activities. The ATs for the VIL utilizes sight and other senses like touch, smell and sound (Senjam, 2019).
Mathematics is one of the challenging subjects to learn for VIL. The learners have problems learning the symbols and then carrying out calculations. Mathematics is one of the most crucial subjects for the daily running of activities (Daroni & Legowo, 2018). These activities include sales, the measurement of their purchases and many other activities that the VIL may engage in. To overcome the obstacle, the learners need to use ATs. Assistive Technologies in learning Mathematics is an essential effort. It has customized capabilities to the learners’
abilities to ease following during studies. Textual and audio supporting ATs such as the braille textbooks and talking calculators are useful. Others include the abacus, braille compass, braille ruler or protractor, the raised line graph and tactile geometrical kits (Senjam, 2019).
Daroni and Legowo (2018) did a literal study involving the collection of literature data, reading, recording and processing of materials from the library on the ATs in Mathematics learning for VIL in Indonesia. The study aimed at finding out the difficulties VIL face in learning Mathematics and the ATs developed to enable their learning. The opinions from the finding were the VIL have low cognitive ability because of little information delivery, they suffer low self-esteem, poor language skills, quickly get offended and have dependence from others. They noted from the data that the VIL had problems in understanding the mathematical symbols. They have difficulties in disequilibrium. They also face challenges in learning dimensional figures. The study established from other studies that the abacus and other audio-based mathematical tools could improve the learning of Mathematics (Daroni & Legowo, 2018).
A survey was done in Texas of 165 teachers of VIL examining the perception in the ATs. The study showed there was a deficit in knowledge in the 55 ATs that were surveyed on. 57.5 percent of them lacked confidence in teaching and elaborating the use of the ATs (Zhou, T, W, & Griffin-Shirley, 2011).
Eraj Nihal (2019) did a study from The University of Karachi on the impact of ATs on the education performance of VIL. The study objectives were to determine the use, benefits and the importance of using the ATs for academic improvement for the VIL. The study was a descriptive study with 10 VIL in the primary and secondary levels in Karachi. The study showed a positive impact on the use of ATs on performance; there was a shortage of ATs in the institutions. The study also showed that the VIL had the skills and knowledge required to put the ATs in use(Nihal, 2019).
Prof. Lazarus and Josephine (2018) carried out a study on the ATs for managing learners with the special needs in Makueni County, Kenya. The review was to find out how the teachers utilize the ATs and their availability in the county and the personalization of the lesson to influence the learner’s skills.The study used a concurrent mixed design with purposeful selection. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected and analyzed through descriptive study. The target population was three hundred schools, county director of Education, head
teachers, teachers, learners and support staff totaling to 351 respondents. From the study, it was concluded that ATs equalizes the learners in the classroom. They empower the learners greatly on schoolwork and cognitive abilities. It also found that the ATs for learners’ management is affected by lack of funds, negative attitudes, the staff and head teachers and the policy (Lazarus & Mbithe , 2018).
Chege et.al (2019) did a study in Kenya, on ATs for teaching VIL in special schools. The study used descriptive design; data was collected using the observational checklist and the classroom observational schedule for the schools selected. Purposive sampling was used for five deputy head teachers. The study results observed scarcity of the ATs in the special schools. The low technology ATs were more available than the mid and high technology ATs in Mathematics learning(Chege, Chomba, & Awori, 2019).
Statement of the problem
The Assistive Technologies (ATs)are used to enhance teacher and learner effectiveness in the process of teaching and learning of Mathematics among the VIL. As much as there is a concerted effort towards improving the learning of Mathematics by the VIL, little has been done towards integrating appropriate ATs in the teaching and learning of Mathematics to guarantee quality instruction for the VIL (Simalalo, 2011). Furthermore, the world is digitalized and most businesses today are transacted online. The ATs are revolutionizing learning, especially amongst those with disabilities by making it more accessible and flexible (Cooper, ibid.2008). The VIL needs appropriate ATs that would assist them due to their low vision to enable them to compete well with their sighted peers in the learning of Mathematics.
In Kenya, clear and well-focused policies are yet to be put in place to ensure a comprehensive system of education as a right to every child (Constitution of Kenya,2010). Failure to incorporate the VIL in the ATs-world of Mathematics would not only create a technology gap but also generate more dependents by compromising the independence and careers of VIL as well as access to information to this group of learners.
According to the Kenya Society for the Blind, only about 7000 out of 45000 visually impaired children of school-going age in Kenya are in school (KSB, 2013). This was already a problem as the education system was not accommodative to all VIL and it would be worse if those accommodated are side-lined in the digital world regarding Mathematics (Klingenberg, 2007). The focus of the study was to establish the impact of integrating ATs in
learning of Mathematics for the VIL in St. Oda School for the visually impaired. This may be one of the interventions towards improving the learning of Mathematics by the VIL at the school.
Purpose of the study
The purpose of this study was to establish the extent to which integrating ATs in the teaching and learning of Mathematics enables VIL to learn in Mathematics.
Study objectives
The following objectives guided the research:
To investigate available forms of ATs that are used to support the learning of Mathematics among the Visually Impaired Learners in St. Oda School for the Visually Impaired Learners.
To establish the challenges faced by the Visually Impaired Learners in learning Mathematics using ATs in St. Oda School for the Visually Impaired Learners.
To determine the level of integration of ATs in the teaching and learning of Mathematics for the Visually Impaired Learners in St. Oda School for the Visually Impaired Learners.
To establish the impact of integrating ATs in learning Mathematics among the Visually Impaired Learners in St. Oda School for the Visually Impaired Learners.
