Department of Applied Educational Sciences

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Browsing Department of Applied Educational Sciences by Author "Ambili, Johanna"

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    Challenges of learners with multiple disabilities in a selected special school in the Oshana education region
    (University of Namibia, 2018) Ambili, Johanna
    The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges of learners with multiple disabilities in a special school setting. In order to collect in-depth information, this study followed a qualitative approach with an intrinsic case study design. Purposive, criterion sampling procedures were employed to select the participants. The sample consisted of thirty-three (33) respondents: a school principal, ten (10) teachers, three (3) hostel matrons and nineteen (19) learners with multiple disabilities from the selected school. The data were collected through semi-structured, face-to-face, in-depth interviews supplemented by observation. The data were carefully organised into categories and themes and analysed during and after the period of data collection. The main findings of the study were that learners with multiple disabilities faced challenges that ranged from the physical infrastructure of the school (accessibility), the inability of staff to respond effectively to their needs, a lack of differentiated teaching and learning resources (leading to their exclusion from certain learning activities), as well as poorly structured curriculum approaches. Based on the findings, various recommendations were made to the school and to the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture to mitigate the identified challenges. The study also made recommendations for further research. The study concluded that learners with multiple disabilities need to access a curriculum that suits their needs and receive the quality education that they deserve.