A Survey Of Teachers’ Awareness And Use Of Assistive Technology In Teaching Children With Special Needs In North Central Nigeria
ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study was to find out teachers’ awareness and use of assistive technology in teaching children with special needs in North Central Nigeria.
The objective of the study was to find out teachers’ competence in assistive technology devices. Six research questions and four hypotheses guided the study.
A cross sectional survey research design was adopted for the study and the population for the study was made up of all regular and special education teachers teaching children with special needs in the seven states that make up the North Central Zone.
Using the stratified random sampling technique, a sample of 450 teachers was selected from four states out of the 792 teachers teaching persons with special needs in the zone to participate in the study.
Four instruments developed by the researcher were used to collect the data to answer the six research questions and test the four hypotheses raised.
Two of the instruments centered on teachers’ assistive technology awareness and competency while the remaining two were observation schedules to check the availability of the devices and teachers competence in using them.
Data for the research was collected through the administration of the questionnaires and observation of teachers teaching using some of the assistive technology devices in their schools.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENT PAGE
TITLE PAGE – – – – – – – – – I
DECLARATION – – – – – – – – II
CERTIFICATION – – – – – – – – III
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT – – – – – – – IV
DEDICATION – – – – – – – – VIII
TABLE OF CONTENTS – – – – – – – IX
LIST OF TABLES – – – – – – – – XII
LIST OF FIGURES – – – – – – – – XIV
LIST OF APPENDICES – – – – – – – XV
ABSTRACT – – – – – – – – – XVII
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY – – – – – 1
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM – – – – – 7
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY – – – – – – 8
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS – – – – – – 9
1.5 HYPOTHESES – – – – – – – 10
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY – – – – – 10
1.7 THEORETICAL FRAME WORK – – – – – 12
1.8 DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY – – – – 14
1.9 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS – – – 15
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE
2.1 CONCEPT OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY – – – 18
2.2 CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORIZATION OF ASSISTIVE
TECHNOLOGY DEVICES – – – – – – 22
2.3 ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SKILLS AND PROFESSIONAL
NEEDS OF TEACHERS – – – – – – 26
2.4 TEACHERS’ AWARENESS OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY – 32
2.5 TEACHER PREPARATION IN SPECIAL EDUCATION – – 34
2.6 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHOOLS LOCATED IN RURAL
AND URBAN AREAS – – – – – – 41
2.7 TEACHERS’ USE OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN
THE CLASS – – – – – – – – 46
2.8 TEACHERS’ COMPETENCY IN ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY – 50
2.9 MALE VERSUS FEMALE TEACHERS’ COMPETENCY
IN TEACHING USING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY- – – 54
2.10 REGULAR TEACHERS AND ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION – – – – – – 56
2.11 THE IMPACT OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN HELPING
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES – – – – – 58
2.12 PROBLEMS OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR PERSONS
WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN NIGERIA – – – – 60
2.13 EMPIRICAL STUDIES IN ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY – – 65
2.14 SUMMARY OF REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE – – 70
CHAPTER THREE
METHOD AND PROCEDURE
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN – – – – – – 74
3.2 POPULATION AND SAMPLE – – – – – 75
3.2.1 Population – – – – – – – – 75
3.2.2 Sample – – – – – – – – – 78
3.3 SAMPLING TECHNIQUES – – – – – – 83
3.4 INSTRUMENTS FOR DATA COLLECTION – – – 84
3.4.1 Description of the Instruments – – – – – 85
3.4.2 Procedure for Development of the Instruments – – – 88
3.5 VALIDATION OF THE INSTRUMENTS – – – – 89
3.5.1 Validity Results – – – – – – – 89
3.5.2 Reliability Results – – – – – – – 90
3.6 PROCEDURE FOR DATA COLLECTION – – – – 91
3.7 METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS – – – – – 93
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 RESULTS – – – – – – – – 96
4.1.1 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF
RESULTS BY RESEARCH QUESTIONS – – – – 96
4.1.2 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF
RESULTS BY HYPOTHESES – – – – – 115
4.2 DISCUSSION – – – – – – – 126
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS – – – – – – 144
5.2 CONCLUSION – – – – – – – 146
5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS – – – – – – 147
5.4 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY – – – – – 149
5.5 SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY – – – – 150
5.6 CONTRIBUTION TO KNOWLEDGE- – – – – 151
REFERENCES – – – – – – – 153
APPENDICES – – – – – – – 168
INTRODUCTION
The Nigerian school system, particularly the primary and secondary schools, has undergone some changes due to the adoption of the policy of inclusive education.
This means more students with special education needs who were educated in separate classrooms or schools are now educated in the same class with other children that do not have any special education need.
The special and regular teachers are vested with the responsibility of making the curriculum accessible to the children with special education needs; this they do by adopting different tools and devices.
These tools and devices are broadly referred to as assistive technology. The broad term ―assistive technology‖ is used to describe a variety of devices and services that help ensure that students with disabilities are included in a full range of social experiences and are able to function more independently, thus improving their quality of life.
Examples of these devices include Braille machine, wheel chair, electronic communication devices, pencil grip and computers. Assistive technology devices can reduce barriers in the environment, enhance ability to communicate and also improve independence.
It enhances the educational attainment of persons with disabilities which helps them gain employment and become contributors in the development of the society instead of begging on the streets.
This implies that without these devices, learning for children with special needs becomes a big problem. The utilization of these devices by students depends to a large extent on how teachers use them in their class to teach.
REFERENCES
Abner, G. H., & Lahm, E. A. (2002). Implementation of assistive technology with students who are visually impaired: Teachers’ readiness. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 96 (2): 98-105
Ademuyiwa, O.A. (2009). Enhancement of quality life through assistive technology devices for person with physical impairment. The Exceptional Child. 2(1): 117 -122.
Aduwa-Oyregbaen, S.E. & Iyamu, E.O.S. (2005). Using information and communication technology in secondary schools in Nigeria: Problems and prospects. Educational Technology and Society, 8 (1): 104-112.
Alasia, A. & Magnusson, E. (2005). Occupational skill level: The divide between rural and urban Canada. Rural and Small Town Canada Analysis Bulletin. Statistics Canada Catalogue number 21-006-XIE.
Aluxter, D., Pyfer, J. & Huettig, C. (2001). Principles and Methods of Adapted Physical Education and Recreation. Saint Louis, Missouri: Mosby-Year Book.
Anyebe, E.A. (2008). Information and communication technology in secondary schools in Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Teacher Education and Teaching 5 (1): 161-169.
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