Teaching Students with Visual Impairments in Inclusive Classrooms : A Case Study of One Secondary School in Tanzania

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the way general teachers teach students with visual impairments in inclusive classrooms and the challenges facing them. The intention was specifically to find out the ways general teachers adapt their teaching to make sure that inclusion of students with visual impairments is appreciated and realized. Furthermore, it intended to uncover the challenges these general teachers face when teaching students with visual impairments in inclusive classrooms. This study was conducted at one of the secondary school located in southern part of the country. It employed qualitative case study design using four (4) general teachers teaching in classes having students with visual impairments. Data collection was done using semi-structured interviews and participant- observation methods.

The findings revealed that general teachers have little knowledge about inclusive education and how it should be practiced not only for students with visual impairments but for all students with special needs. The knowledge about inclusion and teaching in inclusive classrooms is highly needed among general teachers to practice inclusive teaching for students with visual impairments in a professional manner. Preparation of teaching resources,like audio and tactile materials, reading braille writings, and instructing students with visual impairments the proper ways of using their visual devices, is said to be the role of a special needs teacher. However, it is also advisable for a general teacher to have some of this knowledge in order to counteract the challenges associated with teaching students with visual impairments in inclusive classrooms. Furthermore, findings showed that, general teachers were not using the little knowledge of teaching in inclusive classrooms they have, due to many challenges surrounding the whole inclusive teaching in secondary schools like scarcity of both general and special needs teachers and lack of commitment among them, scarcity of resource and rigid curriculum.

Building from the findings, it is recommended that, the Government should improve the situation of inclusive teaching, such as training teachers in the area of special education to help them conduct their teaching properly. The government should also allocate enough funds to inclusive schools to ensure availability of teaching and learning facilities that will help facilitate teaching students with visual impairments in inclusive classrooms. Finally, due to the fact that, there are few studies conducted on the area the current study has ventured on, it is recommended that, further studies should be carried out.