Sensitivity of vocational education institutions to the needs of learners with physical disability: a case study of ocoko rehabilitation centre in arua Uganda

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the sensitivity of vocational education institutions to the needs of learners with physical disability by taking a case study of Ocoko Rehabilitation Centre in Arua, Uganda. The study was guided by three research objectives namely: to establish the relevance of the vocational education curriculum in relation to learners with physical disability, assess the role of teachers in enhancing the learning process of learners with physical disability and to find out how the various assistive devices available in the vocational institution enhanced learning for students with physical disability. The population under the study included 3 administrators, 6 teachers and 18 students making a total of 27. The sample for the study consisted of 11 respondents broken down into the different categories as follows; 1 administrator, 4 teachers and 6 students. The methods the researcher used for data collection were in depth interviews with key respondents and personal observations. The instruments used for data collection were interview guides and observation list. The category of respondents included; one administrator, 4 teachers and 6 students. Data analysis was carried out by the use of qualitative methods, mainly descriptive in nature. The findings presented were analyzed following objectives of this study: The findings of the study indicated that the vocational education curriculum which consisted of training in leather work, tailoring, knitting and weaving, carpentry and joinery, metal work and pastoral subjects was relevant to the needs of learners with physical disability and the world of work. This is because the learners with physical disability were able to learn any one of the subjects in the curriculum depending on their individual choices and abilities. The learners were taught both vocational theory and practice at the institution. This made the learners self reliant on completion of their courses. The findings revealed that materials for practicals were in short supply across all the subjects and this reduced the effectiveness of the curriculum. The study findings also showed that the role played by teachers at Ocoko Rehabilitation. Centre in enhancing the learning process of learners with physical disability was limited by the fact that there were no professionally trained teachers of special needs education at the centre. The results also indicated that assistive devices relevantly enhanced the learning process for learners with physical disability in one way or the other. Based on the findings, it is recommended that government should adequately fund the centre and facilitates in-service training of teachers already serving at the centre in special needs education. More teachers of special needs education should be recruited to offset the shortage of teachers to cater for the special needs of learners with physical disability in vocational education institutions. Funding should be directed towards meeting the needs of learners with physical disability such as assistive devices and teaching-learning materials. Policy makers at all levels should mobilize and sensitize the community towards strengthening the sensitivity of vocational education institutions in Uganda to the needs of learners with physical disability.