Strategies Of Early Interventions On Academic Performance Of Learners With Physical Disabilities In Primary And Secondary Schools In Two Selected Districts, Rwanda

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine the strategies of early intervention on academic performance of learners with physical disabilities in special primary and secondary schools in Nyanza and Huye Districts in Southern Province of Rwanda. The study was guided by social learning theory. Descriptive survey researchwas used to find out teacher professional education level in providing EI in SNE, to determine EI strategies used by teachers at early childhood level and to identify materials used for providing EI in instructions. The target population of parents, learners and teachers was 1,673. The number of learners with physical disabilities was 1364 in primary and secondary levels. 86 and 223 parents. A sample size of 10 teachers from primary, 10 teachers from secondary, 25 learners from primary, 45 learners from secondary and 6 parents were selected for learners of primary and 6 parents for learners of secondary which gave a total of 102 respondents. In the study purposive and simple sampling techniques were used to select teachers and parents while stratified sampling was used in selecting learners. The sample was drawn from two selected special schools for learners with physical disabilities with their teachers and parents. Four instruments: questionnaires, interview guide, focus group discussion and observation checklists were used to collect data on the strategies of early intervention on academic performance of learners with physical disabilities. The pilot study pretested to two schools of selected districts for learners, teachers in ordinal levels and for home mates of learners used as guardians. Descriptive statistics was used to present and analyse the results of the study. Findings showed that professional background was good enough for the teachers to generate informed data but it was noted that educational programs were not delivered as effectively as expected because of the big number of teachers not qualified in the area of SNE. It was also noted that early interventions weren‟t provided as well due to the lack of experts in that area. The Ministry of Education should provide funds for organizing seminars and workshops in the area of the SNE to improve the number of teachers‟ qualification to be able to teach effectively and the policy would be implemented from the parents in terms of team collaboration to raise the services of infants and toddlers with physical disabilities.