Integration of adaptive technology in instruction of visually impaired student Teachers in selected primary teacher training colleges in Kenya

Abstract

Integration of Adaptive technology improves the quality of education and removes learning barriers for the Visually Impaired learners. For the visually impaired student teachers to graduate as skilled, confident and competent primary school teachers, tutors should modify and adjust materials of learning so that they can access the curriculum content adequately. This study assessed integration of adaptive technology in instruction of visually impaired student teachers in primary teachers training colleges (TTCs) in Kenya. It sought to establish the types of available and used adaptive technology devices for visually impaired student teachers, tutor training on integration of adaptive technology for visually impaired student teachers and tutors’ attitudes and visually impaired student teachers’ perceptions on integration of adaptive technology. It also examined the college administration’s support in the integration of adaptive technology for visually impaired student teachers. The study was based on the diffusion of innovation theory by Rogers which gives a basis for adoption of innovations in institutions and other settings. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The study population included administrators, tutors and visually impaired student teachers in three primary teachers training colleges which admit student teachers with visual impairment in Kenya. Purposive sampling technique was used to select three deans of curriculum while Simple random sampling was used to select nine heads of departments and 93 tutors. Census was used to select 41 visually impaired student teachers (blind and low vision) making a sample of 146 respondents. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaire, interview schedule, and observation checklist. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to analyze the quantitative data. Qualitative procedure was applied to information from interviews where respondents answers were presented in words and interpretations made. The findings of this study revealed among other things that, adaptive technology devices for visually impaired student teachers were insufficient, tutor training on integration of adaptive technology was lacking, the college administration support in the integration of adaptive technology was poor and the tutors viewed integration of adaptive technology as valuable but lacking. The visually impaired student teachers’ perception on integration of adaptive technology in primary teacher colleges in Kenya was that; adaptive technology devices were inadequate and hardly used by tutors. The following recommendations were made; adaptive technology devices for visually impaired student teachers should be provided and tutors should be trained on integration of adaptive technology. The college administration of public primary TTCs should fully support the integration of adaptive technology for VI Student teachers in the primary TTCs by buying resources and training tutors on integration of adaptive technology.