Abstract

The purpose of this study was to verify the problems faced by students with impairments and their effect on academic Adjustment. The study was guided by the following research questions, what difficulties do students with visual impairment face in participating in extracurricular activities? Identify problems students with visual impairment face in socialization?

What difficulties do teachers face in adopting new syllabus for students with visual impairment? Have reading and writing materials available to help students with visual impairment adjust to these situations Do students with visual impairment face difficulties in technology, the, accessible population of this study of this study consist of one school in the north west region which is the integrated school for the blind Kumbo.

I used the random sampling technique, 40 students were drawn as a sample population. Questionnaires were used to collect data from students. Some recommendations were to parents, teachers, students, and to the government. The results revealed that mobility, socialization, reading and writing was a major problem faced by students with visual impairment.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Introduction

This chapter will be under the following headings. Background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, researcher questions, justification of the study, significance of the study, scope and delimitation of the study, and operational definition of terms. Chapter two will examine the theoretical review, contextual review, and empirical review of the problems faced by students with students with impairments and their effect on school adjustment, while chapter three deals with the procedure used in collecting data chapter four is on findings and chapter five will be examined under discussions, conclusions, recommendations, limitations, and suggestion for further study.

Background of the Study.

Theoretically, Hobson (1990) suggested that lack of vision might delay the emergence of the theory of the mind in blind children. This production was tasted using tactical vision theory of the mind. Task developed by Perner, Lee ham and Immer (1987) and Perner (1983). Erickson (1950) model of psycho social development need is an example of a general work that can be applied to individuals with visual disabilities’ Erickson theorized that development proceeds through eight psychological stages that exaggerate one upon the other as infants grew in to children to adolescents and became adults.

Also the Magro cellular theory of dyslexia can be used to explain visual impairment. Dyslexics are those who often complain that small letters appear to be bluer and move around when they try to read. Dyslexics may be unable to process fast incoming sensory information adequately in any domain. This theory explains the reason why most dyslexic’s persons may read talc for talk. The amygdale theory of autism propose a network of neural ring that then childhood psychiatric conduct of autism involves deficits in social intelligence, it is possible that autism may be caused by an amygdale abnormality.

Neuro science 1990), the visual theorists reflects another long studying tradition in the study of dyslexia, that of considering it as a visual impairment giving rise to difficulties with processing of letters and words on a page of text. This may take the form of unstable binocular fixations, poor vengeance (Cornelissen 1993, Stein and Fowler 1993, Eden 1994).

According to the Piageterian theory, of cognitive development (1995) vision is the primary science used in the construction of sensor motto understanding, casual processes and special relations and object permanence.

Without vision, which senses specifically to organisms and integrate information originating from various sensory channels, development difficulties? In the first year of life, the blind child is obliged to alternate channels (Brambling 2001). This will help the child to adjust in all aspects of the schooling.

Historically, visual impairments is dated back to the biblical times. There are numerous references in the scriptures specific to blindness. Clearly people during this time with visual impairment were seen as helpless and dependent on others. The perception was that the cause of the blindness could be attributed to the sins of the fathers. It was till 1260 that there are cementations that the perception of people who were blind began to change.

After King Louis the ninth of France had suffered a defect in the sixth crusade, he returns with an interest in charity. He endowed one of the first formal institutes for the blind enabling technologies with Braille to begin. During this period, there was no formal education available for people who were blind. Although Braille had not yet been developed. Some developed their own literacy method in several ways including a writing system of pinpricks and silk embroiled onto card board. The first school for the blind was established in Paris by valentine Henry, (1781). The first teaching of Braille was documented by James Gail in (1829). Louis Braille helps in the development of the Braille in (1829). Braille was officially adopted in (1854) by France.

Conceptually, visual impairment is the ability to use the vision as a parameter for learning. Visual impairment can be viewed in the light of law vision in impairments. Law vision is the acuity of less than 6/8 but equal to or better than 3/6 or a corresponding visual field less than 20 degrees in the better eye with best possible corrections.

Blindness is a visual acuity of less than 3/60 or a corresponding visual field of loss less than 10 degree in the better eye with best possible corrections. The largest proportion of the blindness is necessarily related to ageing. Visual impaired students who are faced with difficulties in accessing writings of words, finding skills necessary to socialize effectively with other children.

Visual impairment can result from a variety of causes including congenital conditions, injury, and eye disease and brain trauma or as multiple sclerosis. A person is considered legally blind if his or her corrected vision is not better than 20/300, meaning seeing of twenty feet what other see in two hundred feet’s or having peripheral field not more 20 degree in diameter or less than 10 degree in ratio.

School adjustment, students face many adjustments in school from years to years. There are changes in teaching classrooms, school and class rules procedure performance expectation and the education system. Some adjustments have been constructed historically in terms of children’s academic progress as needs Birch and Lood (1996).

This outcome is important but very limited; it numerates the search for precursors and events in children annulment that may affect adjustment. On a broader level, we may think of adjustment as involving not only children’s progress and achievement but also on their attitudes towards school, anxieties, loneliness, social support and academic motivation. Rosier (1998) Birch and lood (1998).

Contextually, severe visual impairment is more easily identified in school than mild vision loss. Children with visual impairment most often confused color or show poor posture when reading, writing and even moving around the environment American foundation for the blind (2005).

Antenatal media and tools such as Braille machines, mobility canes, talking computers, and other learning aids are most often used by students with visual impairment to help them regain or adopt to a normal class situation in an exclusive context. The United States department of education (2004). Students who suffer from visual loss are also said to experience social isolation in class, home among peers and also in the environment where they live.

Statement of the problem

This study aims at finding out the challenges faced by teachers in the teaching children with visual impairment. Visually impaired students face difficulties in mobility, socialization, technology, reading and writing within the school context and society where they live.  These problems listed above may be as a setback for their smooth stay in school and in society, therefore materials such as Braille machines, mobility cane, talking computers and other media like the pelvic cane are to be provided in other to assist these students to make their schooling and socializations skills to be more enjoyable and conductive. It is for these that the study seeks to examine the problems which are mobility, socializations, technology reading and writing faced by visual impaired students and how they adjust to these situations.

Objectives of the Study

General Objectives

The main objective of the study is to investigate the problems such as mobility, socializations, technology reading and writing faced by visual impaired student and its effect on school achievement.

Specific Objective

This study is out to:

1. To investigate if students with visual impairment face challenges in technology as a lack of their sight to work on modern technology such as the usage of computers.
2. To examine if students with visual impairment experience social isolations due to their lack of socializations skills with other students.
3. To find out whether students with visual impairment are allowed to participate in extracurricular activities.
4. What materials do teachers use in teaching students with visual impairment and also if teachers are adequately trained?
5. What difficulties do students with visual impairment face in reading and writing and also in the organizations of their materials?

Research Questions

General Research Questions

What are the problems faced by students with visual impairment in school and and how it affect their school achievement?

Special Research Questions

1. What difficulties do students with visual impairment face in participating in extracurricular activities?
2. Identify problems students with visual impairment face in socialization?
3. What difficulties do teachers face in adopting new syllabus for students with visual impairment?
4. Have reading and writing materials available to help students with visual impairment adjust to these situations?
5. Do students with visual impairment face difficulties in technology?