Enhancing Academic Performance of Disabled Students through Multiple Intelligences Based Programmes

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of multiple intelligences based programme in enhancing academic performance of disabled learners 5^th and 6^th year elementary of Omoyeni special school, Orita Aperin, Ibadan Oyo State, Nigeria. The study utilized pre-post quasi experimental design. A total of 120 disabled learners, 60 experimental 60 control group were the participants of the study. The experimental group consists of 15 visually impaired, 20 hearing impaired and 25 intellectually and developmentally disabled participants the age range of the participants was between 12 and 22 with average age of 17years. Multiple regression scale (MIS) was the instrument used for data collection. Three research hypotheses and a research question guided the study. Multiple regression analysis and ANCOVA were the statistical tools used to process the data collected. The results of the findings indicate that multiple intelligences based programme was effective with disabled learners in improving their academic performance. Findings from this study also indicated that treatment was most effective with the learners with visual impairment followed by learners with visual impairment and it was least effective with the intellectually and developmentally disabled. On the basis of these findings, it was observed that multiple intelligence based programme could assist in enhancing academic performance of the disabled learners.

Keywords: Multiple intelligences, academic performance, disabled students.