THE EFFECT OF INTEGRATION ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE FOR STUDENTS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS: A CASE STUDY OF INTEGRATED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KERICHO COUNTY, AINAMOI CONSTITUENCY, KENYA

Abstract

Vision is ordinarily a very important source of information about the world, the ‘stuff’ on which cognition comes to operate. The provision of the low vision services in Kenya started in 1980s. Before then, all learners were educated as blind irrespective of their degree of vision loss. Christoffel Blinden Mission conducted a survey, which revealed that there was need to encourage children with low vision to use their sight, since they were using techniques for the blind. It was also discovered that 15-25% of the learners did not require special education services at all. This low vision services was first provided in the school for the blind students and then in the integrated schools. This paper thus sought to establish the effect on academic performance for visually impaired students brought about by this integration. To achieve this, the author considered carrying out a study in Kericho County. The study was done between September and November 2006 using a case study design. Questionnaires focus group discussion and document analysis were the main techniques used in data collection. A total of 200 respondents participated in the study and data was analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. It was found that an integrated education program has recorded better performance for students with visual impairment than in the specially designed schools for the visually impaired students as perceived by students. On average, it was observed that students with visual impairments perform better than their sighted counterparts.