Project Material on; Availability and utilization of assistive technology tools for teaching student with virtual impairment in special education schools of Kano metropolis area

Project Material on; Availability and utilization of assistive technology tools for teaching student with virtual impairment in special education schools of Kano metropolis area

1.1 Background to the Study

Education involves the use of information in changing the behaviour of a less learned person in that area of learning. Education is a continuous learning process. It is internationally acknowledged as the core for individual and national development and is therefore, essential to all –disabled or not. The branch of education that deals with learners with disabilities or limitations is referred to as special education. These limitations can range from visual, physical, mental, emotional or hearing impairments or a combination of two or more of these impairments. Special education was defined as “a customized educational programme, designed to meet the unique needs of persons with special needs that the general educational programme cannot cater for” (National Policy on Education, 2013).Yusuf, Fakomogbon and Issa (2012)further stated that special education deals with the education of the disabled who may have visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical and health impairment, mental retardation, emotionally disturbed, speech impairment, learning disabled or multiple impairments.

The term ‘Education’ is an exceptionally common and popular word that is uttered by many people but understood by very few in its correct point of view. Itproves to be as old as man himself, nevertheless with time, its significance and objectives have unavoidably undergone certain changes(National Council of Educational Research and Training, 2014). Etymologically, the word education was derived from two Latin words ‘Educare’ meaning ‘to raise’ or ‘to bring up’ and ‘Educere’ which means ‘to lead forth’ or ‘to come out’(Manjula, 2014). Education was also derived from another Latin term “Educatum” which denotes the act of teaching and throws light on the principles and practice of teaching (Kumar & Ahmad, 2008). While some people refer to education as formal schooling, others relate it to lifelong learning. Some others submit that it is the acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Some say that education is nothing, but training of people’s mind in a particular direction to bring about desired changes (Manjula, 2014).

For most people, technology makes things easier; for people with disabilities, technology makes things possible (Radabaugh, 2014).Assistive technology (AT), being of high importance for learning in specials schools, overtime, cannot be overestimated in terms of its educational benefits to learners with disabilities as it has proved to be of help in increasing, maintaining or improving their functional capabilities. Today’s technologies have the ability to dramatically change the lives of students with disabilities, enabling them to access the curriculum, participate in learning activities alongside their peers, personalize their learning, and achieve their full potential. An understanding of assistive technologies (AT) and accessing them will help school personnel make informed decisions when they evaluate students’ special needs. Better still, this knowledge will help schools develop educational environments and programs that can meet the needs of all students, regardless of whether they have disabilities (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2012).

Assistive Technologies (AT) can be applied as adaptive technologies for persons with mobility impairments through the use of wheelchairs, transfer devices(patient lifts), walkers, and so on; visual impairments through the use of screen readers, Braille and Braille embossers, desktop video magnifiers, screen magnification software, large-print and tactile keyboards, navigation assistance, and so on; hearing impairments through the use of hearing aids, assistive listening devices, amplified telephone equipment, augmentative and alternative communication, and so on; cognitive impairments through the use of memory aids, educational software, and so on(Barrue, 2012).

The CRPD(Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2006), identifies those with disabilities as people who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. The Nigerians with Disability Decree of 1993 noted in Section 2(C) that disabled persons are provided equal and adequate education (Cornell University ILR School, 1993). The document noted under section 5, subsection 4(2) among others advocated improvement of facilities and equipment in educational institutions to facilitate the education of the disabled; establishment of a National Institute of Special Education, strengthening of cooperation and collaboration among relevant authorities, organs, institutions to ensure early and coordinated education of the disabled; and interaction and exchange between disabled children in special schools and children in ordinary schools, among others (Yusuf, Fakomogbon & Issa, 2012).

The availability, application and use of assistive technologies in special schools have raised questions among researchers over the years. The principal reason for providing assistive technology in school is to enable students to meet the instructional goals set forth for them. School personnel should look at tasks that each student needs to accomplish, the difficulties the student is having, and the ways that various devices might help the student better accomplish those tasks (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2012). Assistive technologies can exist as hardware and software devices that can help people with disabilities and special needs to overcome the challenges of learning and information that they might be facing. Although, there are a few available assistive technologies today, some people, due to gender and other reasons, are finding it difficult to integrate.

Children with disabilities face extreme disparities and daunting challenges to the enjoyment of academic, social, and community participation in low and middle-income countries (World Health Organization, WHO, 2011). They are subjected to additional discrimination and social exclusion based on age, gender, social status, language, ethnicity, religion, living in conflict zones and other factors. Girls with disabilities are particularly at risk of discrimination and abuse (WHO & UNICEF, 2012).

Gender differences concerning the use of technology and the attitude towards technology is another broad research field. Whereas gender is widely researched in the context of information technologies, it has not been subject studies on acceptance of medical (assistive) technologies, yet (Wilkowska, Gaul & Ziefle, 2010). Several studies revealed that men have a greater interest and a more positive attitude regarding computer usage, due to a higher self-esteem and greater experience with information technologies (Schumacher & Morahan-Martin, 2001; Meelissen & Drent, 2008). In the context of technology adoption in workplace studies showed that there are different aspects that influence the decision to adopt new computer technologies of men and women. For men, it is mainly their attitude towards using a new technology whereas women are more influenced by subjective norm and behavioural control (Morris, Venkatesh & Ackerman, 2005).

The extent to which advanced academic degrees, majoring in the field of teaching, years of experience and intensive participation in professional development activities, all assumed to be cardinal teacher qualifications, indeed have a positive impact on student learning. Because of psychometric difficulties in assessing teachers by their normative attributes – the logical, psychological, and especially the ethical, which tend to differ across cultures, the tendency to evaluate teacher qualities based on student performance is further emphasized. With the increased demands for accountability in line with performance standards and with the growing demand for evidence-based policy making, students achievements are considered an accurate measure of effectiveness and has become a basis for value-added teacher assessment systems (Zuzovsky, 2007).

In tracing teacher education development and reforms in terms of the major questions that have driven the field, Cochran-Smith (2001) argues that it is currently "the outcome" question that motivates teacher education research and policymaking. She stated three ways in which outcomes of teacher education are constructed: the long-term impact outcomes, teacher test scores and professional performance. Long-term outcomesrefer to the relationship between teacher qualifications ranging from their test scores on licensure examination; level of degrees, years of experience, preparation in subject matter and in pedagogy; certification in their expertise area, and their ongoing professional development and student learning (Zuzovsky, 2007). Special education teachers, especially in middle and high school, should be exposed to technological tools that can help students to bypass their academic weaknesses (Mull & Sitlington, 2003). Teachers will help students by training them to use portable and cheap tools that, in most cases, could make students live and behave more independently when they leave high school, which will increase their chances of maximizing their degree of achievement and independence, though it will still be behind their peers without disabilities (Blackorby & Wagner, 1996; Alnahdi, 2014).

Most studies that examined the availability of assistive technologies for special education were conducted outside Nigeria; in fact, very few have examined the application of ICT for students with disability within the African context (Farrell & Shafika, 2007; Yusuf & Fakomogbon, 2008) as cited by (Yusuf, Fakomogbon & Issa, 2012). Hence, this study may provide helpful tips on the prospect of technology, its integration, approval and usage for teaching and learning in Nigeria as it will investigate the availability and utilization of assistive technologies for special education in Kano metropolis area, Kano state, Nigeria.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

In general education classrooms, teachers work with children who have different intellectual, physical, sensory, or emotional abilities (Heward, 2009). There are those learners who exhibit low intelligence or are short sightedness and cannot see the board clearly or are tired and absent minded which gives the teacher the challenge of carrying slow learners along as well as those with clearer visibility and attracting the attention of other absent-minded learners. Learners with disabilities face many challenges towards attending school and partaking in formal education. Without assistive technology (AT) and accessible environments, children with disabilities may be unable to go from home to school, see what is written on the blackboard, hear and understand the teacher, read the textbooks, use sanitation facilities, participate in sports and recreation, and interact with classmates(WHO & UNICEF, 2015).

Special education in Nigeria is currently faced with a lot of problems ranging from low funding of special schools, unavailability of adequate assistive technologies in special schools and ignorance in operation of assistive technological gadgets. Nigeria has limited facilities for the education of disabled children and that many children apparently lack access to education and learning aids and the available equipment are extremely inadequate (Christopher, 2013). Itis a thing of necessity to consider our special schools to see ifthese assistive technologies are available and are being properly utilized.

1.3       Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the availability and utilization of assistive technologies (AT) for special education in Kano metropolis area, Kano State. Specifically, this study will:

1.                  To determine the significant effects of the availability and utilization of assistive technology tools for teaching student in special education schools of Kano metropolis area

2.                  

1.7 Significant of the Study

This study would be significant to special students/learners with disabilities, teachers, educational administrators, education policy formulators, educational technologists, assistive technologists, and administrators of special schools as well as future researchers in the field of special education and assistive technology. This study would assist the disabled learners by considering those assistive technologies (AT) that are available in their schools and check the need for more sophisticated assistive technological gadgets to enhance their formal learning and development.

Teachers and educational administrators and administrators of special schools would be enlightened on the plights that disabled learners go through and work on improving their efficiency and involvement in the classroom as well as during extra-curricular activities and assist in the elimination of exclusion of the disabled and the stigma that they face. The state of assistive technologies (AT) in Kano metropolis area would be exposed to Educational policy formulators so that they will have more urgent bases to make more effective policies to assist the disabled in an environment that focuses on the more privileged.

This study could give insights to educational technologists and assistive technologists on how they can assist with the production of more accessible technologies which includes improvised technologies made of very available raw materials which will not be stratified for the well-to-do handicapped but available and affordable for the use of all kinds of disabled persons especially within Kano metropolis area. This study will provide information to Professional Associations and Textbook writers to assist them with dealings relating to assistive technology and special education. The study will also give insights to Future researchers in the field of assistive technology and special education which will assist and guide them through their much-needed researches for the good of all disabled individuals who wish to overlook their physical shortcomings and disabilities and enrol in a special school for educational growth.

1.8 Definition of Terms

The following terms and variables for this study are clarified operationally as follows:

Assistive Technology (AT): are devices that can be used to make up for the lack of certain abilities. For example, hearing aids for hearing impaired people; Braille for visually impaired people and so on.

Special School: is a place for learning meant training students with special educational needs

Special Education: is a branch of education for formal learning of students with special educational needs.

Adaptive technology: is any hardware and software that assist persons with disabilities to overcome their physical shortcomings.

Availability: is the presence of any assistive technology device.

Utilization: is the measure of use of assistive devices.

Disability: is the state of being handicapped or having impairment.

Impairment: is the disability, incompetence or ineffectiveness of one or more parts of a person’s composition.

Experienced Teacher: is any teacher who has been in the teaching service over a long period of time.

Less-Experienced Teacher: is any teacher who has barely just started their job with the teaching service.

Qualified Teacher: is any teacher who has acquired at least a certification to enable them to teach and have been inducted into the teaching service.

Less-Qualified Teacher: is any teacher who do not have any certification or induction program that allows them to teach.