Aspects that Debilitate the Quality of Braille among Learners with Visual Impairment in Kgatleng District in Botswana

Abstract

This qualitative study investigated the aspects that debilitate the quality of braille among learners with visual impairment at an institution in Kgatleng District in Botswana. The study was conducted over a two-month period at a school that caters for learners with total blindness. The participants, who included five special education trained teachers and nine learners with visual impairment, were purposively selected. The study utilised interviews and document analysis to collect data. Thematic and content data analyses were done as data from the two data collection methods was integrated. The results of the study indicate that the special education specialist teachers are underutilised in their area of specialty. In addition, the larger school community views it a waste of human resource for specialist special education teachers to instruct learners in braille. Consequently, there is no deliberate program to teach braille to learners with visual impairment especially that both learners and special education teachers have very tight schedules emanating from a packed curriculum and high teaching loads. The onset of the visual impairment also has a significant influence on the rate of learning braille and the development of the sense of touch. The study recommends, among others, a paradigm shift in the inclusive education practices at the school to improve the quality of braille and academic performance of learners with visual impairment. 

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.17.6.9