School Administration Related Factors that Influence Access to and use of ICT in Special Schools of Learners with Visual Impairment

Abstract

The infusion of Information communication technology into teaching and learning in schools is growing by day. Information Communication Technology is now a reliable source of knowledge for transforming and reforming education. However, the school administrators’ personal beliefs and theoriesabout integration of ICT in teaching and learning are widely considered to play a central role in the implementation of the newtechnologies in schools. Therefore, given the role the head teachersplay, there is need to investigate their influence in the access to anduse of ICT in special schools of learners with visual impairments.The findings are significant for it would help policy makers to understand the role of school administration in the implementation of ICT in special schools with learners with visualimpairments. The objective of the study was to establish school administration factors that influence access to and use of ICT in special schools for leaners with visual impairments in Kenya. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The study targeted sevenpublic special primary schoolsforleaners with visual impairments with a population of 1667, 161 teachers, seven head teachers, sevencomputer teachers and seven ministry of education officers. The study sampled three schools situated in different counties in the country; Kiambu county, Meru county and Mombasa county. Judgmental sampling technique, stratified random sampling and simple random sampling were used to draw the samples. The samples consisted of three primary schools for leaners with visualimpairment, 168 learners, 18 class teachers, 3 computer teachers, three head teachers and three Ministry If Education officials in the counties where the schools are situated. Data collection instruments were questionnaires, interview schedules and observation schedules. Content validity was determined by seeking expert review. The Cronbach Alpha formula was used to compute the reliability of the instruments. A reliability co efficient of 0.72 was used to judge the reliability of the instruments. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study found that head teachers are willing to support the learners with visual impairment to access and use ICT in the schools. However, there are hindering factors such as unstable internet connection, low teachers’ capacity to use ICT, lack of enough time allocated toICT learning, some of the head teachers had little knowledge on how to get adapted ICTs for learners with visual impairment andfinally, there was no mechanism or model for accessibility of the ICT and other assistive resources for learners with visual impairments in the schools. The study recommended that the government through the ministry of education to train head teachers and teachers on the use of ICT suitable for learners withvisual impairments in schools and ensure their functionality and availability. There is also need for a model for access of ICT and provision of the learning support for the learners with visual impairments in the special primary schools in Kenya.