Educational challenges of "integra ted" blind students: the case of soddo comprehensiv high school
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Date
2004-06
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Addis Ababa Universty
Abstract
This sll/dy has Iried 10 find 0111 Ihe educalional challenges Ihal blind sludel11s face ill
lerllls of variolls educaliollal aspecIs: learning ellvironll1enl. curricular co/1Iellls and
Ihcir prescllialiolls. classroolll illieraciions. oblaining and usillg special lIlalerials alld
services al Soado COlllprehclIS in' High School. The views of Ihe blilld Sfuaelll.\'. sUlIle
sighted studellls allli the panic/jmtillg teachers of the illtegratioll of the blilld studellts
ill/() regillar classes hm'e beell a{{ell/pted /() be invesligated. The pertillelll j ustific atiolls
o/the sllbjects to supporf their respective views are also tried to be(olilld au/. 111 order
to allaill the stated goals. two sets of questionnaire, one sel for the blind studen/s and
the other set for the participating teachers. were used as a primGly tool to col/ect data.
Interviews with the school principal and the school librarian, focus group discussion
with 8 Sighted sludents and observations to the blind students and some important
sellings in the school have been held j ust to supplement the data gathered through the
sets of questionnaires. It has been found out that the blind students experience several
severe problems in all the educational areas already mentioned above.
• Classroom furnitu re together with its arrangement and the layoU/of the school
compound are not convenielll forji-ee movement.
• No modifications and adaptations are made to curricular contents and their
teaching approaches.
• There is a serious shortage of special materials and equipment in the school. No
trainings are offered to use fhe materials and equipment.
• Th ere are no special services such as resource room services, guidance and
counseling services and mobility and orientation services in the school. The
librGlY services are also velT meager.
• It seems that there is no effective interaction between the sighted and the blind
students in the school. The majority of blind students claim that they are hardly
treated properly by the regular teachers.
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Education