Attitude of Teachers in Primary Schools Towards Inclusion of Learners with Visual Impairment into Regular Schools: A Case Study of Kibwezi Division, Kibwezi District, Eastern Province, Kenya.

ABSTRACT

The study carried out an analysis and investigation on the attitude held by teachers towards the inclusion of the visually impaired learners into regular school programmes. The study took Kibwezi Division, located in Kibwezi District as a case study. Previous studies indicate that a number of factors ranging from the lack of leaming/teaching equipment, negative attitude of teachers towards the visually impaired learners are among the many forces behind their poor academic performance of such a special category of learners who deserve a lot of assistive devices if they are to appreciate and recogmze their leaming environment as real and therefore responding to their leaming needs The researcher applied a purely quantitative research design in presenting and interpreting the research findings. The techllique of data collection used was mainly the use of questionnaires. Selection of the samples was based on a simple Random sampling procedure so as to give all the respondents equal chances of participating in the study. Research findings revealed that the challenges that affect learners with visual impairment in an attempt to get themselves acquainted with school environment given their specific needs are diverse and complex in nature. Most in1portantly, the failure of the mimstry of education to address their learning needs given the fact that they need adequate learlling support as well as other learlling equipments to facilitate their learning is an10ng the most bunling issues. A nnn1ber of measures have been drawn up basing on the researchers observation and conclusions of the research findings. These include among others: government's drive towards providing for their learning equipments such as eye lenses, book readers, wheel chairs, and other learlling equipments, change of teacher's attitude in a positive direction and the need for the commnnity to dedicate efforts towards supporting learners witl1 visual impairments so that they can explore their potential.