Orientation and Mobility needs of Students with Visual Impairment at the University of Ghana

Introduction

Education is important to cast away the ignorance. As part of the political agendas, there should be no hindrances that can prevent or as an adherence an individual to avail the education. This is the start of the new era’s acceptance that education belongs to everybody. Because of the increasing challenges due to globalization, many individuals failed to finish their studies because of the identified hindrances like the problem in poverty and priorities for food, shelter, and security.

Background and Problem Statement

If the children that are complete in senses and functions well fail to complete the attendance in school, how much more the individuals who are physically disabled or unable to function well as a normal person? In order to promote the education among the children with mobility disorders such as visual impairment, many educators proposed that there should be a special treatment for those people. First, the institutions should address the mobility needs of the students in order to learning objectives of the universities.

Research Aim and Objectives

The main aim of the study is identify the orientation and mobility needs of the students having the visual impairment, particularly in the University of Ghana. It is important that all the students receive their social rights and have an equal participation in the pedagogical settings to help them explore their potentials. There are three objectives provided in order to facilitate the investigation of the study. First is to determine the level of understanding of the teachers and administrators regarding the students that have mobility problems. Second is to recognize the effective intervention of the universities towards the visual impaired students. And third is to promotion of equal rights for the visually impaired students.

Literature Review

Visual impaired students are protected in the society and not the reason to degrade themselves. Often, the students having the visual problems took their own dog and used them as their guide. On the other hand, inside the classroom, the teachers provide the tape-recoded books, Braille, e-text, and other alternative medium for learning. It is also important that schools provide Braille signs around the campus to help the students know their route. Various programs are already established for the children that have visual impairment. Even if there are available programs, still it remains ineffective because of the teachers’ lack of necessary skills to teach according to the differential needs of these pupils. However, it is stressed that the early interventional measures at the primary school level have implications for the education, social growth, and developments of blind children. With the use of instructional and interventional measures there is a great possibility for the visual impaired students to follow the other students’ progress in education. The outcomes of the interventions are placed into the school system which should be yearly reviewed to keep updated and cope with changes. However, the success of the intervention lies in the ability of teachers. Therefore, it is important that training among the teachers as basis on service should be emphasized. Students with low vision have some limited or residual vision which is very useful as far as the performance of daily activities is concerned. This is an indication that the majority of the visually impaired population the world over, and have varied needs and thus teachers must have that ability to adjust. The specific intervention might be also critical in retaining some children with visual impairment in school, rehabilitating other and helping in developing relevant skills in them. In this case, the importance of early intervention is thus critical as a first point of providing support for students with low vision and an importance consideration for being successful in an inclusive context, especially if encourage to use their vision (Avoke, Yekple, Dogbe, & Mamah, 2006). The other suggested interventions are the use of individualized education, systemized personnel development and training, parent training, and expanded time for learning (Perkins School for the Blind, 2009)

Methodology

The suggested method in the study is the use of comparative case studies. This is appropriate for the study in order to identify and satisfy the requirements involved in the study. The ideas included in the case studies should be focused in the effective collaboration of teachers in the pedagogical settings centering in the interventions for the visually impaired students. The case studies are an advantage method for the study in order to relate the various situations to the real-life situations.

References:

Avoke, M., Yekple, Y., Dogbe, D., & Mamah, V., (2006) Low Vision Children in Regular Classrooms in Winneba, Ghana [Online] Available at: http://www.icevi.org/publications/icevi_wc2006/19_mixed%20topics/Papers/afr_014_mawutor%20avoke.pdf [Accessed 13 July 2010]

Perkins School for the Blind, (2009) Advancing Education for All Children who are Blind or Visually Impaired with Multiple Disabilities [Online] Available at: http://www.perkins.org/assets/downloads/international/positionpaper_english6-2.pdf [Accessed 13 July 2010].