Teaching And Learning Factors Influence On Adaptive Skills Acquisition Among Moderate Intellectual Disabilities Learners In Special Units In Murang’a County, Kenya

Learners with intellectual disabilities are found everywhere throughout the world. This group of learners needs to acquire some activities of adaptive skills. The proposed study sought to explore influence of teachers‟ factors on acquisition of adaptive skills among children with intellectual disabilities in special units in Muranga County, Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives: To assess the influence of teacher related factors, to determine the influence of curriculum, to establish the influence of teaching methods, to examine the influence of teaching/learning resources on acquisition of adaptive among learners with ID in special units in Muranga County. The study was guided by Bandura‟s Social Learning Theory. The study applied a Mixed Methodology and mixed methods design. The target population was 51 teachers from 17 special units in Mathioya Sub-county in Muranga County. The sample size was 15 primary school head teachers and 30 teachers in the special units. A total of 45 respondents were used in the study. The instruments of the research were questionnaires for both primary school head teachers and teachers in special units for intellectual challenged learners and observation checklist. The questionnaire consisted of both open and close ended questions. A pilot study was conducted in a special unit at Njumbi primary school in Mathioya Sub-county. This school was used in the proposed study. Test retest was used to estimate reliability of questionnaires. Validity of the instruments was determined by a team of three experts in the Department of Special Needs of Kenyatta University. The data collected both qualitative and quantitative. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in form of percentages, frequency tables and graphs. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically as per the objectives.