Page 1 of 11

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP

e-ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 01 Issue 07

August 2015

Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 205

Efficacy of Complexity of Assistive Technology on teaching and

learning of integrated English among the visually impaired

learners in special secondary schools in Kenya

Reuben Nguyo Wachiuri

Department of Educational, Administration and Planning University of Nairobi P.O. Box 4815-

00100 Nairobi

Reubenw5@gmail.com : :jedidahkimathi121@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to examine

the extent to which complexity of Assistive

Technology affect effective teaching and

learning of integrated English among the

visually impaired learners. The research

design was descriptive research design.

The target population was 4 principals,

48teachers and 480 students while the

sample size was 4 principals, 218 students

and 48 teachers. The sampling techniques

were simple random sampling and

purposive sampling. The data was

collected using questionnaires,

observation schedule and focus group

interview.

The hypothesis was not rejected meaning

that there was no significant relationship

between complexity of assistive technology

and effective teaching and learning of

integrated English among visually

impaired learners. The hypothesis test

indicated that there was no significant

relationship between complexity of AT and

effective teaching and learning of VI. The

researcher recommends that it is

important to consider the extent of the

simplicity of AT before purchase of any

device.

Key words: Complexity, Assistive

technology, visually impaired

Introduction

Rogers (2003) defined complexity as “the

degree to which an innovation is perceived

as relatively difficult to understand and

use” (p. 15)

The United Nations defines assistive

technology as “technology adapted or

specially designed to improve the

functioning of people with disabilities”

(Borg, Lindstrom, & Larsson, 2009, p.

1863). Assistive Technology (AT) is a

broad concept, covering anything that

might be used to compensate for lack of

certain abilities (Reed & Bowser,

2005).This range from low-tech devices

like special grip for a pen, to more

advanced items like hearing aids and

glasses, to high-tech devices such as

braillers and computers with specialized

software for helping persons to read

(WHO, 2009; Petty, 2012). Kapperman,

Sticken and Heinze(2002) demonstrated

that approximately 60 percent of the

academic students with visual disability in

Illinois who could have benefited from the

use of special technology for individuals

with visual disability were not receiving

that opportunity.

The increase in assistive technology use

may be attributed to the federal laws

Page 2 of 11

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP

e-ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 01 Issue 07

August 2015

Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 206

passed which support funding for assistive

technology devices and services. Although

these laws increase the accessibility of

assistive technology, many recipients are

dissatisfied with devices and services.

Dissatisfaction typically results in

discontinuance of assistive technology

devices. A national survey on technology

abandonment found that 29.3% of all

devices obtained were abandoned (Phillips

& Zhao, 1993). Discontinuance of

assistive technology represents a waste of

time and money. There is however, limited

research documenting factors related to

assistive technology discontinuance from

consumers' perspectives. It is important to

gain an understanding of these factors to

aid professionals in designing assistive

technology service delivery techniques.

Assistive technology can improve teaching

and learning in inclusive classrooms in

various ways (Kleiman, 2010).

This research is guided by Rogers' theory

of diffusion (1995) which offers a

comprehensive philosophy regarding the

processes involved in accepting or

discontinuing use of technology.

According to this theory, discontinuance is

a decision to discard an innovation after

previously accepting it. The two types of

discontinuance are replacement (rejection

of an innovation for an improved one) and

disenchantment (rejection of an innovation

due to dissatisfaction

Bennett and Bennett (2003) showed that

triability, compatibility, relative advantage

and complexity influenced faculty

members’ likelihood of adopting a new

technology into their teaching. A study in

Canada examined how one can help

students with special needs use assistive

technologies to smoothly transit from

elementary to secondary school (Specht,

Howell & Young, 2007).A Norwegian

study examined how environmental

factors, braille and assistive technologies

affect the learning and literacy of 11

severely visually-impaired students (Vik,

2008).

In an effort to address the issues and

challenges around the provision of ICT- related services to persons with disabilities

(PWDs), the Communication Commission

of Kenya (CCK) facilitated a multi- stakeholder workshop on "E-accessibility

for Persons with Disabilities" on May

2012. Furthermore, during the Workshop,

the Commission launched the Kenya

Disability Web Portal an initiative of the

Commission in Partnership with the

United Disabled Persons of Kenya

(UDPK), the National Council for Persons

with Disabilities (NCPWD) and other

stakeholders.

There are few policies and legislative

approaches that promote the development

and adoption of assistive technologies in

Kenya. These include and are not limited

to; The Constitution of Kenya (2010),

Persons with disabilities Act (2003), The

United Nations on the Rights of Persons

with Disabilities (UNCRPD) of (2006),

and the Millennium Development Goals

(MDGs). These legal frameworks ensure

universal design of mainstream

technologies. With these legal frameworks

in place, the government of Kenya has

seen many persons with disabilities get

employment in higher positions e.g.

County Commissioners, Governors and

also senior management positions at the

Page 3 of 11

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP

e-ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 01 Issue 07

August 2015

Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 207

work place, Constitution (2010), Persons

with Disabilities Act (2003). The

Performance Contract consists of the

disability mainstreaming indicator to

ensure employers’ reserve 5% of

employment to persons with disabilities

who are qualified and provide reasonable

accommodation to facilitate their working

environment and also ensure any employee

who acquires a disability is provided the

appropriate assistive technology.

Gale and Cronin (1998) have argued that

educational goals for students who are

blind or vision impaired should be the

same as for other students, with some

modifications and adaptations according to

individual needs. The rapid development

of Information Communication

Technology (ICT) has impacted on the

education sector in South Africa. The

focus has shifted to the increasing use of

ICTs to address teaching, learning and

administrative needs (Archer, 2003;

Engelbrecht, Oswald and Eloff, 2003),

even for visual disability learners.

Similarly the Integrated Education Project

(IEP) was set up by Sight Savers, Ghana,

the Special Education Division (SpED)

and the Ghana Society for the Blind

(GSB). The programme successfully

integrated a totally blind student into a

mainstream school in Hohoe District,

Volta region (Michaels & McDermott,

2003).

Research indicates that there have been

numerous problems facing the use of AT

for the blind in learning institutions.

D’Andrea (2010) affirms that despite the

federal regulation that AT services should

be provided in learning institutions, half of

high school students with visual

impairment are not provided AT services.

One of the problems emanates from lack

of technical skills to use some of the AT

devices and software.

In East Africa, according to Sight Savers

Tanzania’s annual review report (2010),

less than 10 percent of children who are

blind or visual disability (B/VD) or have

low vision (LV) receive any kind of

schooling. Realizing the effectiveness of

assistive technologies in education for

people with disabilities, Tanzania

Education Authority (TEA), Tanzania

League for the Blind (TLB) and Sight

Savers Tanzania (SST) have been working

very closely since 2009 to ensure the”

Dolphin Pen” project which started in

Kenya is scaled up in Tanzania so that

students with visual disabilities also

benefit. Tanzania Education Authority,

TLB and SST jointly developed an

“Assistive Technologies Programme

(ATP)” which started March 2011(SST

Annual Review Report, 2010).

The Kenyan government’s education

policies and goals are geared towards

achieving Education for All (EFA) by

2015 in tandem with national and

international standards. In an effort to

achieve these goals, the government

launched a special needs education policy

framework in 2010 (Republic of Kenya,

2010).

Mugo (2013) established that the Blind

and VI students in Kenyatta University

used the AT for the blind to perform

various tasks including writing notes using

braille machines and braille papers, using

computers to type their work and