Experiences of Students with Visual Impairment in Higher Education in Ghana: Bodily Perspective on Inclusive Education

Abstract

The study examined experiences of students with visual impairment in Ghana’s public universities. The study employed the cross‐sectional descriptive survey design using semi-structured questionnaire for data collection to provide answers to the research questions. The study population included all students with visual impairment across the three Public Universities namely; University of Ghana, University of Cape, and University of Education, Winneba. In all, 87 students with visual impairment were purposively selected to participate in the study. The study revealed that students with visual impairment in these three public universities experience several attitudinal challenges both from teachers, resource persons and fellow students which affect their academic achievement. Also, students with visual impairments in Ghana’s public universities are constantly challenged by classroom instructional strategies, and that it is difficult for them to access course outlines, textbooks, among other relevant facilities in advance. It is recommended that the Special Education Division of the Ministry of Education in conjunction with the Resource Persons in the various universities should organize periodic in-service training programmes for university teachers who teach in the inclusive public universities to adequately equip them in handling the visually impaired.

Keywords: visual impairment, inclusive education, resource person, disabilities and Ghana

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-18-17

Publication date:June 30^th 2019