Academic and social experiences of students with visual impairment at Wenchi Methodist Senior High School

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine academic and social experiences of students with visual impairments at Wenchi Methodist Senior High Schools. Four research questions guided the study. The study adopted a qualitative approach specifically, a phenomenological research design. Participants for the study were purposively selected. The sample size for the study was 20 participants which were made up of 11 students with blindness and nine students with low vision. Focus group interview was used to collect data for the study. The data obtained were analysed using thematic analysis. It was discovered in the study that students with visual impairment were assessed academically through tactile modelling, verbalisation, and differentiation. It was further revealed in the study that sighted students were the only medium students with visual impairment access information due to inadequate assistive technologies. Also, it was found in the study that the social relationship that exist between students with visual impairment and sighted students was poor. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the Special Education Division through the Ministry of Education should sensitise sighted students to accept and appreciate individual differences. Students with visual impairment at Wenchi Methodist Senior High should be provided with Closed Circuit Television, magnifiers, Job With Access Speech to enable them access information without solely depending on their sighted peers.