Institutional Factors Influencing University Management’s Integration of Learners With Special Needs in the University of Nairobi, Kenya
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to investigate institutional factors influencing university management
in integrating learners with special needs into college life in the University of Nairobi. This study
aimed to determine the extent to which availability of physical infrastructure influences integration
of learners with special needs; determine the influence of provision of assistive devices on
integration of learners with special needs, and, assess the extent to which adequacy of human
resources influences integration of learners with special needs. The study was conducted using
descriptive survey design where the target population included twenty-one administrators and thirty
learners with disabilities in the college of humanities and social sciences of the University of
Nairobi. The respondents were selected using purposive sampling. The administrators in the college
of Arts, Law and business were the respondents. These included those in charge of construction and
maintenance, Dean of students, Library Medical services, Students Welfare Association, Dean of
faculties, and transport. Because of learners being on recess, twenty-one instead of the thirty students
with special needs were selected across the three campuses. The researcher instrument for the study
included two questionnaires with both open and close ended questions and an observation schedule
(one questionnaire for the administrators and one for the students with special needs). Data from the
field was edited and coded according to themes which emanated from the research objectives and
questions. Data is analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Qualitative data was
derived from open ended questions in the observation schedule. Quantitative data was from
descriptive statistics supported by tables, graphs, pie chart, frequency and percentage. This was done
using the statistics package for social sciences (SPSS) computer package. From the findings, the
study revealed inadequacies of physical facilities and assistive devices that could assist in the
integration of learners with special needs. At the same time, sensitization of students was not done
and the number of human resources to help support learners with special needs were inadequate. The
learning resources (especially the physical facilities) are not adapted to the needs of learners with
special needs. Therefore, the University of Nairobi Management should organize for ways through
which physical facilities should be imported to comply with LWD. Assistive devices both for
teaching and learning, and those for mobility to be availed. Human resources who understand such
conditions to be sourced to assist LWD. The student’s sensitization to be done by those tasked to do
so. For instance, the office of the dean of students. An independent department could be set by the
university to solely deal with issues of learners with special needs. In summary, this study sort to
determine the extent to which the availability of physical infrastructure, provision of assistive
devices, students’ sensitization and adequacy of human resources influence integration of learners
with special needs in university life in college of humanities and social sciences of the University of
Nairobi.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
- Faculty of Education (FEd) [6020]
The following license files are associated with this item: