CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Introduction

Physical barriers are structural obstacles in natural environments that prevent or block mobility (moving around the environment) or access and social interaction Obviously, a student with a disability cannot learn in an inclusive classroom if he cannot enter the room, let alone the school building. Some schools are still inaccessible to students in wheelchairs or to those other mobility aides and need elevators, ramps, paved pathways and lifts to get in and around buildings. Accessibility can go beyond passageways, stairs, and ramps to recreational areas paved pathways and door handles. A student with cerebral palsy for instance may not have the ability to grasp and turn. Traditional door knob Classrooms must be able to accommodate a student’s assistive technology devices, as well as other furniture to meet individual needs Example of physical barriers includes Steps and curbs that block a person with mobility impairment from entering a building or using a sidewalk. (Lisa 2022) say the  absence of weight scale that accommodates wheelchairs or others who have difficulty stepping up.

Today, society’s understanding of disability is improving as we recognize disability as what occurs when a person’s functional needs are not addressed in his on her physical and social environment. By not considering disability a personal shortcoming, and instead dunking Ulta a social responsibility in which all people can be supported to live independent and full lives, it becomes easier to recognize and address challenges.

People with disabilities have frequently been stigmatized and hence underestimated throughout history. This stigma on disability involves harmful effects regarding this collective’s socio-educational inclusion. In this effect, the attitudes and beliefs of society especially those of teachers, represent a major research field in education, as they inform about teaching ideas and practices which may condition the inclusion of the most underprivileged students within regular schools (Jose & Antonio, 2021).

United Nations Guidelines for Inclusion provides the clearest statement “Inclusion is seen as a process of addressing and responding to the diversity of needs of all learners through increasing participation in learning, cultures and communities, and reducing exclusion within and from education (UNESCO, 2005). Research reveals that teachers are crucial in enabling success for all students (Borg, Hunter, Sigurjonsdottir & D’Alessio, 2011). Teachers’ behaviour is a function of the explicit identification of special educational needs (Hornstra, Denessen, Bakker, Van den Bergh & Voeten, 2010).

Philosophies regarding the education of children with disabilities have changed dramatically over the decades and many countries have led in the effort to implement policies which foster the inclusion and integration of children with disabilities. The state of education for persons with disabilities in developing countries such as Cameroon has been a source of concern for professionals (Alur, 2001; Potts, 2000; Villa, 2003). It could be argued that teachers’ attitudes are critical in ensuring the success of inclusive practices given that teachers’ acceptance of the policy of inclusion is likely to affect their commitment to implementation with respect to the teaching and learning process (Mbibeh, 2013). The socio-demographic variables conditioning teachers’ attitudes are diverse, so it is imperative to explore them in order to know their effects on the academic performance of children with disabilities.

The state of education for persons with disabilities in developing countries such as Cameroon has been a source of concern for professionals. (Alur, 2001; Potts, 2000; Villa, 2003). The provision for children with disabilities across developing countries has often been regarded as a privilege rather than a right (Alur, 2001). Abosi (2006) noted that proper attention has not been given to special needs education in terms of planning and organization. It’s planning; organization and management have been characterized by lack of vision and commitment, inadequate funding, lack of cooperation among experts, negative attitudes influenced by traditional values, and culture.

Background to the Study

People with disabilities all over the world were considered socially and physically less capable of participating in community affairs. They were not easily accepted and regarded as part and parcel of the family and the community. They were neglected and rejected. They were regarded to be caused by witchcraft, curses or as a punishment from the gods for wrong doing. They were isolated and their needs were not adequately provided for by the families and communities. (Randik,2000)

History reveals that in some African communities they were thrown into the bush. The people of Sparta of Greece used to kill babies with distinct disabilities features. This was condemned by philosophers as Plato and Socrates. They were given names such as Cripple, Dump, Idiot, Moron and Embecile. It is the negative altitude which has made children with special needs families to be segregated.

Research findings conflict as to whether students with disabilities display equivalent academic performance to those without disabilities  (Jorgensen et al., 2005). Witte, Philips, and Kakela (1998) found that students with learning disabilities (LD) at Miami University, a liberal arts institution in Ohio, graduated with grade point averages (GPAs) significantly below the comparison group of students without disabilities. They also found that these students with LD, on average, took one semester longer to graduate. However, in a similar study, Sparks, Javorsky, and Philips (2004) found that 68 college students with ADHD at a medium-sized university were competitive academically with their peer group and graduated with similar GPAs compared to the typical graduating senior at the same university. Over a 5-year period, all of the 68 students, with and without disabilities, had graduated from the university. Conversely, Sachs and Schreuer (2011) compared academic success as measured by GPAs and participation in higher education of 170 students with disabilities and 156 students without disabilities throughout Israel. Their results indicated that students with disabilities had similar college experiences from social and athletic experiences to academic experiences. Furthermore, the academic achievements, as indicated by grade point averages, of students with disabilities were similar to those of students without disabilities (Sachs & Schreuer, 2011).  In the 19th Century some institutions to house people with disabilities was put in place. In the institutions rehabilitation and medical care was done with the hope that the disabled would be brought back to normal life. Education is very important for every person regardless of his/her age, gender, race, economic status, as well as physical ability or disability. According to Block (1992),People particularly students with physical disabilities were usually perceived by societies as disadvantaged groups. Hence, they are in a position of missing some economic, political and social benefits including the right to access equitable and quality education. This is in line with Mcleod (2014) who pointed out that, students with physical disabilities experience personal limitations in school environments that affect their social, psychological and academic spheres that may likely affect their academic performances at school. Some of the limitations can be alleviated with parental, community and government support. According to the Education For All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report (2010), People with physical disabilities have experienced narrow chances to enjoy school environments or practices due to fewer priorities given by educational providers to issues that may support the disabled especially in developing countries in areas such as curriculums, teaching and learning materials, infrastructure, special programs such as sports and games, environmental issues and the general quality of education. According to (Macleod, 2014), reaching the marginalized children with disabilities remains one of the main problems leading to wide exclusion of the group from quality education (Macleod, 2014).

Globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), people with physical disabilities are among the most marginalized groups in the world. People with disabilities have poorer health outcomes, lower education achievements, less economic participation and higher rates of poverty than people without disabilities” (WHO, 2011a). Regardless of existing challenges, the disabled, particularly the physically disabled children, have the right to primary, secondary and higher-level education. Since the UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights was released in 1948, there have been legislations on providing education for all children. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which entered into force in 2008 and which was ratified in UK in 2009, has 145 signatories including all Public Service Agreement (PSA) countries except Afghanistan and Zimbabwe (DFID, 2012). The convention established that disability is not only a social welfare matter but also part of human rights. DFID (2012) has further elaborated that; article 24 of the Convention on Education emphasized that State Parties shall ensure that persons with disabilities are not excluded from the general education system on the basis of disability, and that children with disabilities are not excluded from free and compulsory primary education, or from secondary education, on the basis of their disability. Persons with disabilities can access an inclusive, quality and free primary education, secondary and higher-level education on an equal basis with others in communities where they live. However, this is possible only if reasonable accommodation of the individual’s requirements is provided; persons with disabilities receive the support they require within the general education system to facilitate their effective education; and effective individualized support measures are provided in environments that maximize academic and social development, consistent with the set goal for ultimate full inclusion of all.

Many countries have also enacted progressive laws that guarantee the rights of people with disabilities to education specifically higher education and in other major areas of life e.g Algeria (Act on the protection and promotion of persons with disabilities, adopted on 8 May 2002, Official Gazette No. 34/2002), Cameroon         (Law No 2010/002 of 13 April 2010 on the protection and promotion of persons with disabilities), (Decree No. 2018/6233 fixing the procedures for the application of Law N° 2010/002 of 13 April 2010 on the protection and promotion of persons with disabilities). Canada (Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act), 2008, Chad (Law No. 007/PR/2007 Bearing Protection for Disabled Persons)  . In the United States for example, the government has ensured services for students with disabilities through Public Law 93-112, Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973, now the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990) and the ADA American Act (2008). This is also the same with many other countries around the world. Despite the laws that are in favor of including persons with disabilities, when it comes to implementation of the recommendations on how to give equitable, accessible and quality education to physical disabled students especially in higher education levels, governments and stakeholders’ priorities became a great determinant. Govender (2009) argued that in developing countries, many out of school children are specifically those with physical disabilities. This may be due to factors such as poor budgets in financial years on financing education to the disabled. Historically, persons with physical disabilities have been marginalized and denied equitable participation opportunities, including participation in higher education. They have been criminally victimized within the society’s institutions mostly due to negative psychological factors such as negative attitudes, prejudices, stereotyping, and stigmas (Hughes, 2005).

1.2 Problem Statement

The researcher is set out to investigate environment barriers and academic performance of students leaving with physical disabilities. The learners with physical handicap have the following difficulties: motor functioning, communication, intellectual functioning and low academic achievement.

Under motor functioning, the physical status of the child is affected and may include both legs and arms. Gross motor and fine motor abilities can be greatly impaired, thereby limiting not only movement but also their functional use as walking, jumping, writing, holding eating utensils and so on. Other physical involvements include partial or complete paralysis of the affected body parts. Communication difficulties are experienced particularly by children who are cerebral palsied. These children have problems with muscles related to the control and production of speech and sounds. They often have laboured speech and sometimes produce speech that is difficult to comprehend.

The physical handicapped are of normal intelligence, however, the cerebral palsied, some of whom have brain damage when assessed are frequently found to be performing in the mental retardation range. The disability has a depressing effect on their academic achievement for various reasons. Most important is their ability to manipulate reading and writing materials. Constant absence from school due to illness, and in some cases, absence from class in order to attend physiotherapy sessions.  Maneuvering in the physical world is something many people take for granted.

Curbs, stairs, jagged or obstructed sidewalks and paths, and narrow passageways are only a few of the common obstacles people walk over, around, or through on a daily basis. For those who have a physical disability, those obstacles can be monumental barriers. For non disabled individuals, “it can be hard to recognize and anticipate the less obvious barriers that a person with a physical disability might encounter on a daily basis” (National Association of County and City Health Officials, 2006, p. 3).

Despite the fact that the review of literature found many studies which dealt with disabled students and their situation at schools, there are very few or not at all which are specifically revealing on problems that hinders physical disabled students in the University of Buea to acquire quality and accessible higher learning education. To address this problems, this study will focus on investigating the problems that are faced by students leaving with physical disabilities in some selected higher institutes of Buea and it pertinent to promote and inclusive environment to all students to enhance their academic performances.

To a disturbing degree, barriers in the built environment can prevent people with physical disabilities from visiting social, commercial, and recreational establishments for fear of not feeling safe or able to enter a facility that is equipped with stairs, narrow doorways, inaccessible bathrooms, and numerous other unforeseen, potentially hazardous architectural barriers.

As a result, these obstacles and barriers force people with physical disabilities to isolate, which consequently prevents them from thriving in their life and in society in general and consequently affecting their academic performance. This study therefore seeks to find out the impact of environmental barriers on the academic performance of person’s with physical disabilities in some selected higher institutes of Buea and how to overcome these barriers.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To determine the extend to which physical barries affect the academic performance of students with physical disabilities in Some selected higher institutes in Buea.
2. To evaluate the extent to which attitudinal barriers influence the academic performance of students with physical disabilities in some selected higher institutes in Buea.
3. To investigate the impact of didactic materials on the academic performance of students with physical disabilities in Some selected higher institutes in Buea

Check out: CST Project Topics with Materials