Enhancing an enabling learning environment for learners with visual impairment in a rural Lesotho school

Abstract

Ideaal gesproke is ʼn bemagtigende leeromgewing (hierna BLE) belangriker as dit ʼn verbetering in die leerders se leer en hul algemene welstand weerspieël. Die skool moet ʼn bemagtigende omgewing wees wat die holistiese ontwikkeling van leerders koester. In plattelandse gemeenskappe in Lesotho bly leerders met gesiggestremdheid egter ʼn twispunt omdat die gevolge van armoede, swak infrastruktuur, ʼn gebrek aan opgeleide onderwysers en teenstrydigheid in die implementering van inklusiewe beleidstellings en praktyke toegeneem het. Die meerderheid van die literatuur oor gesiggestremdheid beklemtoon die ernstige impak daarvan op leerders se opvoeding as ʼn wêreldwye bekommernis. Literatuur meld talle uitdagings wat leerders met visuele gestremdheid (LVG) ervaar, veral dié in Lesotho se plattelandse skole. Die reg op onderwys vir almal, insluitend leerders met gesiggestremdheid, beklemtoon die invloed om ʼn bemagtigende leeromgewing vir leerders met visuele gestremdhede in Lesotho te verbeter. Veral onderwysers word op die voorgrond geplaas en speel ʼn belangrike rol om te verseker dat skole ʼn bemagtigende omgewing vir al die leerders is. In reaksie op ʼn gebrek aan navorsing op hierdie gebied, het hierdie doktorale studie ten doel gehad om maniere te ondersoek wat ʼn bemagtigende leeromgewing vir leerders met gesiggestremdheid in die plattelandse skole in Lesotho kan verbeter. Hierdie kwalitatiewe studie is geleë binne die interpretatiewe paradigma, gelei deur ʼn deelnemende gevallestudie navorsingsontwerp wat die generering van data met die deelnemers gefasiliteer het. Om op die sleutelnavorsingsvrae van hierdie studie te reageer, het die navorser twee metodes vir die generering van data gebruik, naamlik die aanlyn fokusgroepbesprekings (AFGB) en photovoice - ʼn deelnemende visuele kuns-gebaseerde metode (DVK). Data is gegenereer met tien deelnemers, wat beide manlike en vroulike onderwysers ingesluit het, en wat doelgerig en gerieflik gekies is, eerstens op grond van hul kennis oor die verskynsel wat bestudeer word, en tweedens, gebaseer op hul ervaring van meer as drie jaar se onderrig in die Lesotho plattelandse hoofstroomskool, wat LVG toelaat. Tematiese analise is gebruik om data te ontleed. Die bevindinge in die huidige studie het plattelandse sekondêre skoolonderwysers se uiteenlopende begrip van ʼn bemagtigende leeromgewing (BLE) vir LVG onthul. Dit hou verband met die waarde van die omgewing, leerders se gelyke toegang tot onderwys, wat leerders se uiteenlopende behoeftes en vermoëns moontlik maak. Die bevindinge toon ook dat die verbetering van BLE vir LVG in plattelandse skole gekonstrueer word deur ʼn skoolgebaseerde samewerkende ondersteuning en dui op die belangrikheid van ʼn skool se kollektiewe agentskap om LVG se leeromgewing te verbeter. Verder het die bevindinge faktore aan die lig gebring wat die verbetering van BLE in plattelandse skole in Lesotho moontlik maak en belemmer. Drie temas wat as instaatstellers na vore kom, dui op die belangrikheid daarvan om LVI’s te betrek as agente met die vermoë om hul leer te beïnvloed, verbeterde interpersoonlike verhoudings en vindingryke materiaal om ELE vir LVI’s in landelike skole van Lesotho te verbeter. BLE-beperkings sluit egter faktore in soos bestaande armoede in plattelandse skole, swak skoolinfrastruktuur, onvoldoende onderrig- ​​en leerhulpbronne, oneffektiewe inklusiewe onderwysbeleid en swak perspektiewe op gesiggestremdheid in skole en plattelandse gemeenskappe. Die studie sluit af deur voor te stel dat die verbetering van BLE vir LVG’s ʼn meer genuanseerde begrip binne die plattelandse konteks benodig. So ʼn begrip kan meer samewerking tussen plattelandse skole fasiliteer oor hoe om BLE vir LVG te verbeter. Die navorser beveel betekenisvolle samewerking van al die belanghebbendes, ouers, onderwysers, leerders, en die regering, openbare en private organisasies aan. Daarbenewens is daar ʼn groeiende behoefte om die verbetering van BLE te oorweeg, nie vanuit die perspektief van die individuele agent nie, maar met die klem op kollektiewe invloed om skole te verbeter met betrekking tot die leerders se holistiese ontwikkeling en groei. Ondanks die spanning, kom die navorser tot die gevolgtrekking dat deelnemende kunsgebaseerde metodes ʼn kragtige hulpmiddel kan wees om plattelandse deelnemers in staat te stel om hul eie invloed te identifiseer, asook om te besin oor breër geleenthede vir ʼn kollektiewe agentskap om BLE te verbeter, en daarom inklusiewe onderwys ʼn werklikheid te maak vir LVG in Lesotho en elders.

Ideally, an enabling learning environment (hereafter, ELE) is more important if it reflects improvement in the learners‘ learning and their general wellbeing. School should be enabling environment that nurture the holistic development of learners. However, in rural communities in Lesotho, learners with visual impairments remain a bone of contention because the effects of poverty, poor infrastructure, lack of trained teachers and inconsistency in the implementation of inclusive policies and practices have increased. The majority of literature on visual impairment highlights its severe impact on learners‘ education as a global concern. Literature reports numerous challenges faced by Learners with Visual Impairment (LVIs), especially those in Lesotho rural schools. The right to education for all, including learners with visual impairments accentuates agency to enhance an enabling learning environment for learners with visual impairments in Lesotho. In particular, teachers are placed at the forefront and have significant roles to play to ensure that schools are enabling space for all the learners. In response to lack of research in this area, this doctoral study sets out to explore pathways that can enhance an enabling learning environment for learners with visual impairments in the rural school in Lesotho. This qualitative study was situated within the interpretive paradigm, guided by a participatory case study research design that facilitated generation of data with the participants. To respond to the key research questions of this study, the researcher employed two methods for generation of data, namely the online focus group discussions (OFGDs) and photovoice - a participatory visual art-based method (PVA). Data were generated with ten participants, involving both male and female teachers, and who were purposively and conveniently chosen, first because of their knowledge on the phenomenon under study, and secondly, based on their experience of more than three years of teaching within the Lesotho rural mainstream school that admits LVIs. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. The findings in the current study revealed rural secondary school teachers‘ diverse understanding of an enabling learning environment (ELE) for LVIs. These are linked the value of the environment, learners' equal access to education, enabling learners‘ diverse needs, and capacities. The findings also show that the enhancement of ELE for LVIs in rural schools is constructed through a school-based collaborative support and point to the importance of a school collective agency to enhance LVIs‘ learning environment. Furthermore, the findings revealed factors that enable and constrain the enhancement of ELE in rural school in Lesotho. Three themes that emerge as enablers indicate the importance of involving LVIs as agents with capability to influence their learning, enhanced interpersonal relationships, and resourceful materials to enhance ELE for LVIs in rural schools of Lesotho. However, ELE constraints include factors such existing poverty in rural schools, poor school infrastructure, to insufficient teaching and learning resources, ineffective inclusive education policy and ill perspectives on visual impairments in school and rural communities. The study concludes by suggesting that enhancing ELE for LVIs need a more nuanced understanding withing the rural context. Such understanding can facilitate more collaboration among rural schools about how to enhance ELE for LVIs. The researcher recommends for a meaningful collaboration of all the stakeholder, parents, teachers, learners, and government, public and private organisations. In addition, there is a growing need to consider the enhancement of ELE not from the perspective of the individual agent but emphasising collective agency to enhance schools in relation to learners‘ holistic development and growth. Notwithstanding its tensions, the researcher concludes that participatory arts-based methods can be a powerful to enable rural participants to identify their own agency, as well as reflecting on broader opportunities for a collective agency to enhance ELE, and therefore making inclusive education a reality for LVIs in Lesotho and beyond.

Ngokulindelekile, ukuvumela isimo sokufunda, (esibizwa nge-ELE) kubalulekile kakhulu uma kukhombisa ukuthuthuka kokufunda kwabafundi kanye nenhlalonhle yabafundi ngokwejwayelekile. Isikole kumele sivumele isimo esivumela ukuthuthuka okuphelele kwabafundi. Yize noma kunjalo, emiphakathini yasemakhaya yaseLesotho, abafundi abanokukhubazeka ngokungaboni basangabalwelwayo ngenxa yemithelela yobubha, izingqalasizinda ezingezinhle, ukwesweleka kothisha abaqeqeshiwe, kanye nokungahambi kahle ekusetshenzisweni kwezinqubo ezihlanganisayo kanye nokusebenza sekwenyukile. Imibhalo eminingi ngokukhubazeka ngokungaboni iveza ukuthi umthelela omkhulu emfundweni yabafundi kuyisimo esiphatha kabi umhlaba wonke. Imibhalo ibika izingqinamba eziningi ezibhekene nabafundi abanokukhubazeka ngokungaboni, ama-Learners with Visual Impairment (LVIs), kakhulukazi ezikoleni zasemakhaya eLesotho. Ilungelo lemfundo kubo bonke abantu, okubalwa kulo abafundi abanokukhubazeka ngokungaboni kubhebhezeka isidingo esikhulu sokuthuthukisa isimo sokuvumela ukufunda kubafundi abanokukhubazeka ngokungaboni eLesotho. Kakhulukazi, othisha babekwa phambili futhi baneqhaza elibalulekile ukuqinisekisa ukuthi izikole zivumela indawo yabafundi bonke. Ukubhekana nokungabibikho kahle kocwaningo kulo mkhakha, lolu cwaningo lobudokotela luhlose ukuphenya imigudu engathuthukisa ukuvumela isimo sokufunda sabafundi abanokukhubazeka ngokungaboni ezikoleni zasemakhaya eLesotho. Lolu cwaningo lwekhwalithethivu lwenziswa lwenziwe kwipharadaymu yomhumusho, ngokwesekelwa uhlaka locwaningonto lokuzibandakanya olukhiphe imininingo kubabambiqhaza. Ukuphendula imibuzo enqala yocwaningo, umcwaningi usebenzise izindlela ezimbili zokuqoqa imininingo, nokuyizindlela zamaqoqo acwaningwayo ngendlela yobuchwepheshe, ama-online focus group discussions (OFGDs) kanye nokuqopha izwi, indlela yokuzimbandakanya yobuciko ebukwayo, i-participatory visual art-based method (PVA). Imininingo yaqoqwa kubabambiqhaza abayishumi, okubalwa kubo othisha besilisa nabesifazane, futhi abaqokwa ngenhloso futhi ngoba betholakana, okokuqala ngenxa yolwazi lwabo ngesimo esicwaningwayo, futhi okwesibili, ngenxa yesikhathi sabo sokusebenza esingaphezu kweminyaka emithathu befundisa eLesotho ezikoleni ezihlanganisile zasemakhaya zaseLesotho nezithatha ama-LVI. Ukuhlaziya ngezindikimba kwasetshenziswa ukuhlaziya imininingo. Imiphumela kulolu cwaningo yaveza ukuqonda okwehlukene kothisha abafundisa ezikoleni zamabanga aphakeme ngesimo esivumela ukufunda (ELE) sama-LVI. Lokhu kuhlobene nobunjalo besimo, ukuvumeleka okulinganayo kwabafundi emfundweni, ukuvumela izidingo zabafundi ezahlukene, kanye nemithamo ebathathayo. Imiphumela futhi iveza ukuthi ukuthuthukisa i-ELE yama-LVI ezikoleni zasemakhaya kwakhiwa ngokwesekwa kokubambisana nesikole bese kubalula ukubaluleka kwesidingo esikhulu sokuhlanganyela nesikole ukuthuthukisa isimo sokufunda sama-LVI. Okunye futhi, imiphumela iveze izimo ezivumela futhi ezinqinda ukuthuthukiswa kwezikole zasemakhaya ze-ELE eLesotho. Izindikimba ezintathu eziqhibuke njengezivumeli ziveza ukubaluleka kokubandakanya ama-LVI njengezithunywa ezingakwazi ukuba nomthelela ekufundeni kwazo, zithuthukise ubudlelwane bokubambisana, kanye nezinsizakusebenza ezisebenzisekayo ukuthuthukisa i-ELE yama-LVI ezikoleni zasemakhaya eLesotho. Yize noma kunjalo, izingqinamba ze-ELE zibandakanya izimo ezifana nobukhona bobubha ezikoleni zasemakhaya, ukungabibikho kahle kwezingqalasizinda, kuya ekungabinibikho kahle kothisha kanye nezinsiza zokufunda, ukungasebenzi kahle kwenqubomgomo yemfundo ehlanganisayo kanye nokuqonda okungekuhle kahle ngokukhubazeka ngokungaboni esikoleni kanye nasemiphakathini yasemakhaya. Ucwaningo luphetha ngokuphakamisa ukuthi ukuthuthukisa i-ELE yama-LVI kudinga ukuqonda okunzulu kakhulu esimweni sezindawo zasemakhaya. Lokho kuqonda kungagqugquzela ukusebenzisana okukhulu phakathi kwezikole zasemakhaya mayelana nokuthi ingathuthukiswa kanjani i-ELE yama-LVI. Umcwaningi uphakamisa ukusebenzisana okunomphumela kubona bonke ababambiqhaza, abazali, othisha, abafundi, kanye nohulumeni, izinhlangano zomphakathi kanye nezizimele. Okunye futhi, kunesidingo esikhulayo ukubuka ukuthuthukisa i-ELE hhayi ngokubuka komuntu ngamunye kodwa kugcizelelwa ukusebenza ngokubambisana ukuthuthukisa izikole mayelana nokuthuthukisa abafundi ngokuphelele kanye nokukhula. Noma kunezingqinamba, umcwaningi uphetha ngokuthi izindlela ezincike ebucikweni zokuzibandakanya zingaba namandla amakhulu ukuvumela ababambiqhaza basemakhaya ukukhomba izidingo zabo, kanye nokuninga ngamathuba asabalele okusebenza ngokubambisana ukuthuthukisa i-ELE, futhi ngaleyo ndlela kwenze imfundo ehlanganisayo ibe iyonayona kuma-LVI eLesotho ngaphandle kwayo.

Ka nepo, sebaka se loketseng ho rutela ho sona (re tla se bitsa ELE) se molemo haholo ha se bontsha tswelopele ho ithuteng ha barutwana le tlhokomelo ya bona ka kakaretso. Sekolo se tlamehile ho ba sebaka se fanang ka bokgoni, se fanang ka tswelopele ya baithuti ka kakaretso. Leha ho le jwalo, baahi ba mahaeng Lesotho, barutwana ba nang le bothata ba ho bona e sa ntse e le mathata hobane bofutsana, mafaratlhatlha a boemo bo tlase, ho hlokeha ha matitjhere a kwetlisitsweng, esita le ho se dumellane bakeng sa ho kenya maano a akaretsang, tseo di eketsehile. Boholo ba dingolwa ka bothata ba bofofu, bo hlahisa haholo sekgahla se seholo thutong ya barutwana ba nang le bothata ba bofofu le ho kgathatseha ka lefatshe lohle. Dingolwa di boledisa mathata a mangata ao barutwana ba nang le bothata ba ho bona e le bo teng lefatsheng lohle. Dingolwa di bolela hape mathata a mangata ao ba nang le bothata ba bofofu ba nang le ona, haholo dikolong tsa mahae tse Lesotho. Ditokelo tsa thuto ho bohle, mmoho le ba nang le bothata ba bofofu di bontsha potlako e hlokehang ho phahamisa le ho fana ka sebaka se loketseng barutwana, mmoho le ba nang le bothata ba bofofu Lesotho. Ona matitjhere ke ona a beilweng ka pele mme a na le seabo se seholo sa ho tiisa hore dikolo ke dibaka tse fanang ka bokgoni ho barutwana bohle. Bakeng sa ho arabela tabeng ya ho hlokeha ha diphuputso mabapi le ntlha ena, diphuputso tsena tsa bongaka di batla ho fumana tsela tse ka thusang ka ho ba le maemo a bokgoni ba ho ruta bana ba nang le bothata ba ho bona dikolong tsa mahae, Lesotho. Diphuputso tsena tsa boleng di hara tsela ya ho hlalosa kapa ho toloka. Diphuputso di itshetlehile ho sebopeho sa patlisiso e tsamaisang ho fumaneha ha deitha, le ba bileng le seabo. Ho araba potso e ka sehloohong ya diphuputso tsena, mofuputsi o sebedisitse mekgwa e mmedi ho fumana deitha, e leng sehlopha se kopanywang le se buisanang ka marangrang, seo re tla se bitsa (OFGDs) le photovoice (ho nka ditshwantsho tsa ba nang le seabo dipuisanong tsena). Ba bileng le seabo sa matitjhere a leshome, banna le basadi ba kgethilweng ka boomo, pele ka lebaka la tsebo ya bona le tsebo ya se fuputswang, ya bobedi ho itshetlehilwe tsebong ya bona e fetang dilemo tse tharo, ba ruta sekolong se mahaeng Lesotho, se amohelang barutwana ba nang le bothata ba bofofu (LVIs). Deitha e fumanweng e ile ya manollwa ka mokgwa wa meelelo. Se fumanweng diphuputsong tsa jwale ke hore matitjhere a dikolo tsa sekhondari a na le kutlwisiso tse fapaneng ka sebaka se fanang ka bokgoni ba ho ruta (ELE) ho bana ba nang le bothata ba bofofu. Tsena di itshetlehile ho boleng ba sebaka, bokgoni bo lekanang ba ho fumana thuto, ho thusa ka ditlhoko tse fapaneng le bokgoni bo sa lekaneng. Se fumanweng hape se bontsha hore ho matlafatsa sebaka se loketseng ho rutela (ELE) bakeng sa barutwana ba nang le bothata ba bofofu. Ho feta moo, diphuputso di hlahisitse dintlha tse thusang le tse sitisang matlafalo ya ELE dikolong tsa mahae Lesotho, mme di tema tse tharo tse hlahang e le tsona tse thusang di hlahisa bohlokwa ba ho sebetsa le batho ba nang le bothata ba bofofu, jwaloka batho ba nang le bokgoni ba ho kgothaletsa ho rutwa ha bona, ho hodisa dikamano le ho fumana disebediswa tse nang le molemo wa ho hodisa sebaka se loketseng ho rutwa bakeng sa ba nang le bothata ba bofofu dikolong tsa mahaeng Lesotho. Leha ho le jwalo, mabaka a sitisang sebaka se loketseng ho ruta, a kenyeletsa bofutsana bo fumanwang dikolong tsa mahae, marangrang, ho ya tlhokahalong ya disebediswa tsa ho ruta le ho rutwa, phokolo ya thuto e kenyeletsang bohle le maikutlo a fosahetseng ho ba nang le bothata ba bofofu sekolong le baahing ba mahaeng. Diphuputso di kwala ka ho etsa tlhahiso ya hore ho phahamisa ELE le ba nang le bothata ba bofofu ho hloka kutlwisiso e tebileng boemong ba mahaeng. Kutlwisiso eo e ka kgothaletsa tshebedisanommoho dikolong tsa mahaeng ka ho re na ho ka phahamiswa kapa hodiswa ELE bakeng sa barutwana ba nang le bothata ba bofofu. Mofuputsi o kgothalletsa tshebedisanommoho e utlwahalang ya bohle ba nang le seabo, batswadi, matitjhere, barutwana, le mmuso, mekgatlo ya setjhaba le eo eseng ya mmuso (e ikemetseng). Ho feta moo, ho na le kgolo ya tlhokahalo e holang ya ho nahana kgodiso ya ELE, e seng e le motho/mokgatlo a/o le mong empa ho tiiswe hore e be mokgatlo wa batho kapa sehlopha ho matlafatsa dikolo mabapi le tswelopele e akaretsang ya barutwana, e akaretsang tsohle, e shejwe. Leha e na le mathata a yona, mofuputsi o qetella ka hore mokgwa wa ho sebetsa mmoho le bohle ba na le seabo, o ka ba matlafatsa ho etsa ba nang le seabo ho iphumanela mokgatlo wa bona, le ho sheba menyetla e ka bang teng bakeng sa mokgatlo wa bona ho hodisa kapa ho matlafatsa ELE, mme ba etsa thuto e kenyelletsang bohle e le nnete bakeng sa barutwana ba nang le bothata ba bofofu.