Abstract:
Kenya Government adopted Inclusive Education for learners with Special Needs
Education (SNE) in most of its learning institutions. However, some challenges have
been reported in primary, secondary and university inclusive education sectors. The
purpose of this study was to find out the challenges of Inclusive Technical Training
Education for Visually Impaired (ITTEVI) in Machakos Technical Training Institute
for the Blind (MTTIB). The objectives of the study were to find out the impact of:
Instructional materials, teacher’s experiences and qualifications, learners’
relationships and the external environmental factors. The study adopted Gagne’s
Theory of Instruction, and Shulmans’ Pedagogical content of knowledge theory
respectively. A Mixed method research approach research was used. The target
population included: Principal, Heads of departments, Integrated sighted and visually
impaired learners, trained and untrained teachers, and support staff. Purposive,
random and proportionate sampling procedures were used to sample 164 participants.
Questionnaires, interviews, and observations schedules were used to collect data.
Piloting was carried out for reliability and validity of the instruments. Qualitative data
were analyzed using content analysis, whereas quantitative data were analyzed
descriptively using percentages and pie charts. The study revealed that there was lack
of enough specialist adapted instructional materials for the learners with visual
impairments, teacher’s lack of ITTEVI specialist experiences and qualifications
affected the quality of ITTEVI training. Unfriendly relationship between sighted and
visually impaired learners posed challenge to the management and teachers.
Unfavorable environment such as inaccessible terrains, fences and lack of adaptations
in the workshops scared the visually impaired. Lastly, some of the sighted learners
were not willing to participate in the co-curricular activities with visually impaired
learners. This study recommends that MTTIB management needs a clear
understanding of ITTEVI requirements and avail enough adapted facilities, personnel
and environmental adaptations for ITTEVI, in order to improve the ITTEVI quality
and make the training process friendly and accommodative for both sighted and
visually impaired learners in Machakos, Kenya.
