Enhancing teachers’ self-efficacy for supporting visually-impaired learners in Lesotho schools through school support networks
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Date
2020-01
Authors
Mosola, Lintle Lydia
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
The inclusion of visually-impaired learners in mainstream schools continues to be debated among many researchers as it places many challenges on the current functioning of the schools. These include the lack of teacher-training, high student-teacher ratio and a tertiary education curriculum which fails to equip teachers with basic skills for utilising assistive devices in teaching these learners. Despite efforts that the Government of Lesotho instituted according to many national and international policies in ensuring inclusion of people with disabilities, only a few schools accommodate visually-impaired learners. This is exacerbated by the fact that teachers remain academically and psychologically underprepared to accommodate these learners in their classrooms. Since teachers are positioned as the key implementers of inclusive education, it is therefore assumed that teachers’ self-efficacy is an important ingredient in embracing inclusive education. Considering this situation, the study drew from both a self-efficacy theory and an asset-based perspective to understand teachers' self-efficacy and how school-support networks could be used to enhance teachers' teaching-learning skills and knowledge regarding visually-impaired learners. This study was informed by a critical paradigm and situated within qualitative research. The visual participatory methodology was used to generate data using a purposive sampling technique to select participants with experience of interacting with learners with visual impairments in Lesotho (n = 21: 7 teachers of the visually impaired learners; 7 learners with visual impairment; 7 parents of learners with visual impairment). Participatory methods such as lesokoana were used as well as focus group discussions, where each group was asked to discuss the need and availability of school-support networks to improve the quality of educating learners with visual impairments. Also, teachers compiled a collage indicating the challenges and enabling factors concerning their self-efficacy. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that there are school networks that support teachers in dealing with visually-impaired learners, even though their engagement is perceived to be on an informal basis. The study recommends that schools should develop an asset-based map and establish school-support network committees that will engage in effective ways to support teachers.
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Keywords
Asset-based approach, Collage, Visual participatory methodology, Dissertation (M.Ed. (Psychology of Education))--University of the Free State, 2020, Inclusive education, Self-efficacy theory