CHALLENGES FACED BY LEARNERS WITH DISABILITY IN ACCESSING EQUAL

EDUCATION, A CASE OF THREE SELECTED SCHOOLS IN KABWE DISTRICT:

CENTRAL PROVINCE.

BY

MAUREEN CHANDA

COMPUTER NO: 2020004

AT KABWE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY

DECEMBER, 2022

CHALLENGES FACED BY LEARNERS WITH DISABILITY IN ACCESSING EQUAL

EDUCATION, A CASE OF THREE SELECTED SCHOOLS IN KABWE: CENTRAL
PROVINCE.

i
 BY

MAUREEN CHANDA

COMPUTER NO: 2020004

COURSE: (EDU300) INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

A RESEARCH REPORT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENTS OF THE AWARD OF A BACHELORS DEGREE OF INFORMSTION
AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) WITH EDUCATION.

AT

KABWE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY

DECEMBER, 2022.

ii
DECLARATION

I, Maureen Chanda do hereby declare that this research report presents my own original work
and it was entirely done by me and that it has never been submitted to any tertiary institution or
University for the award of a degree.

NAME: Maureen Chanda. Signature: …............................

COMPUTER NO: 2020004. Date: ………………………

iii
APPROVAL

This report of Maureen Chanda has been approved as partial fulfilment of the requirements of
the award of the bachelor’s degree in Information and communication Technology (ICT) with
education by Kabwe institute of technology in association with Kwame Nkrumah University.

SUPERVISOR’S NAME: MR. MUTELO

SIGNATURE ………..…………………

DATE ………………………………………

iv
DEDICATION

I dedicate this scholarly work to my family and friends whose help I cannot equal in just
thanking them. For their support, care, understanding and tolerance during the time I spent
preparing the material for this report. All I can say May the Lord and God Almighty continue to
abundantly bless you for the necessary encouragements and help that you rendered to me.

v
ACKNOWLEDGEMETS

The preparation of this final report was a result of collaboration efforts a number of individuals
lectures, friends and relatives and I would sincerely like to Mr Mutelo for devoting his time for
guidance and recommendation during the entire research process. My special thanks goes to my
sister Matilda Chanda for the love, care and support. May the Gracious and loving Father be and
abide with her every day. Not forgetting Mr Phiri for encouraging me to work hard thank you
sir, may God bless you.

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ABSTRACT

The study aimed to examine the challenges faced by Learners with disabilities in accessing equal
education at three selected inclusive schools in kabwe district. The objectives of the study are:
1)To find out the challenges faced by learners with disabilities in accessing education in three
inclusive schools of kabwe district. 2) To establish how learners with disabilities are affected
academically in accessing education. 3) To ascertain stakeholder’s views on means through
which the society can address problems that with disabilities encounter in accessing education.
The main data collection tools for this study were questionnaires, interview schedules and focus
group discussions. This study applied both quantitative and qualitative approaches to process,
analyze and interpret the data.

To a larger extent data was analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics. The study found that
most schools did not have adequate physical facilities thus disadvantaging a number of children
with special needs in the society. The Salamanca statement and framework for action on special
needs education of 1994 emphasized the schools need to change and adapt the diverse needs of
all learners. Majority of the teachers (44.44%) strongly agreed that they lacked commitment and
skills with regard to SNE learning. The findings of the study indicated that teachers lack
necessary skills and knowledge to implement inclusion of learners with special needs. The study
also found that there were inadequate instructional materials for SNE learning. The findings also
found out that schools lacked essential facilities that aid learning of SNE pupils, for example
ramps for learners who are physically challenged, hearing aids among others. Parents who have
children with disabilities are at times alienated by the community as they are perceived to be
curse carriers who gave birth to cursed children.

There is need to sensitize the community on the importance of inclusion of all and discrimination
of none. Teachers perceived that their professional knowledge and skills were inadequate to
effectively teach students with disabilities in regular schools. Head teachers suggested that there
is need to increase funding in the Education sector to cater for learners with disabilities. The
study recommended the teacher training both pre-service and in-service is essential to develop
the skills necessary to teach successfully in inclusive settings. This could be done with the
collaboration of the Ministry of Education.

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

DECLARTION……………………………………………………………………………….......I

APPROVAL..................................................................................................................................II

DEDICATION……………………………………………………………………………...........III

ACKNOWLEDGMENT………………………………………………………………………...IV

ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………………......V

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………

1.1BACKROUND OF STUDY…………………………...………………………………………

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM……………………………………………....................

1.2PURPOSE OF STUDY................................................................................................................

1.3 OBJECTIVES……………....…………………………………………………………………..

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION………………………...........………………………………………

1.5SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY………………………………………………............................

1.6LIMITATION OF STUDY………………………………………….........................................

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS…………………………………......................................................

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 LITERATURE REREVIEW…………………………………………….............................

2.1 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK…………………………………………………………….

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY…………………………………………………………………………….....

3.0 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………........................................

viii
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN…………………………………………………..................................

3.2 TARGET POPULATION……………………………………................................................

3.3 SAMPLE SIZE…………………………………….................................................................

3.4 SAMPLE TECHNIQUES………………………....................................................................

3.6 RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS……………………………………………............................

3.7 DATA COLLECTION…………………………………………………………….................

3.8 DATA ANALYSIS…………………………………………………......................................

3.9ETHICAL CONSIDERATION………………………………………………………….......

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 PRESENTATION OF DATA..................................................................................................

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS.................................................................

CHAPTER SIX

6.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

REFERENCES…………………………………………………………

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Overview

Education is an important investment that a country can make and enhancing accessibility to
educational services is significant in the development of a nation (Farrant, 2009). This is because
education positively affects socio-economic behavior such as productivity, living standards,
health and demographic characteristics of any population. Likewise, it opens infinity of
possibilities for society that would otherwise be denied namely; a better chance to lead healthy
and productive lives, building strong and nurturing families, participating fully in civic affairs of
their communities, molding morals and values, creating culture and shaping history. It is a solid
foundation for progress and sustainable development, an inherent human rights and critical step
towards dismantling the gender discrimination that threatens all other rights catalyzing freedom
and democracy within borders and extending its reach as an agent of international peace and
security (UNICEF, 2000). It’s societal obligations to make the provision of education to all
people according to the nature of their individual’s needs and capacity. Therefore This chapter
presents the background of the study, the statement of the problem, purpose of the study,
objectives of the study, research questions, significance of the study, limitations of the study,
definition of terms and ethical consideration.

1.1 Background of the study

Between 93 million and 150 million children are estimated to live with disabilities (United
Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO], 2015). Currently, there is no accurate
or precise figure on children with disabilities, as there is a lack of country-level data on disability
prevalence. The right to education for persons with disabilities is recognized in Article 24 of the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) (United Nations,
2006) and in Goal 4.5 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which ensures inclusive and
equitable quality education and promotes life-long learning opportunities for all, including
persons with disabilities (United Nations [UN], 2019).

1
For many countries in the world, the CRPD is the primary resource for adopting inclusive
education (IE) for children with disabilities (CWDs). Zambia first ratified the CRPD in 2008,
and the country has included persons with disabilities in various policies and laws ever since the
amended constitution of 1996 (the Republic of Zambia, 1996a). Currently, there are a number
laws and procedures in place that cover persons with disabilities, including some specifically
within the education sector, such as the educating our future policy (Ministry of Education,
1996).

Persons with Disabilities Act (the Republic of Zambia, 2012) provides for free primary education for
persons with disabilities. It also ensures that persons with disabilities are not excluded from accessing
secondary and higher education in the communities in which they live. The Act also sanctions physical
access to educational institutions and ensures individualized support and access to alternative forms of
communication, as well as allowances to cover extra costs attributed to learning (the Republic of Zambia,
2018).

There is a growing commitment to include disability in the education sector planning. Zambia is
beginning to implement a range of evidence-based policies and programs, collecting disability data, and
identifying the key barriers that might hinder or prevent children with disabilities from accessing,
participating, or learning in school (GPE, 2018). Zambia has had exciting experiences on how to
make schools inclusive, including initiatives at the grassroots level. For example, the Inclusive
Schooling Programme (INSPRO) was piloted in Kalulushi district on the Copperbelt Province in
1997 and later scaled up to twenty-one districts with the support of bilateral and multilateral
development agencies, and other stakeholders (Chilufya, 2005).

The INSPRO aimed to improve the quality of primary, secondary, and tertiary education for
learners with disabilities, increase their access to education, and to develop an assessment
protocol for early identification of special educational needs (UNESCO, 2016).

In addition to INSPRO, other programmes promoting inclusive education in Zambia have been
implemented by organizations such as Sight Savers Zambia, Child Fund, Leonard Cheshire, and
the DEAR Project. Thus, reaching children with disabilities is an essential priority of the
Ministry of General Education. Still, this effort has been influenced or thwarted by various
demand-side and supply-side barriers at national, provincial, district and school level. Despite
sizeable advances in these realms, challenges in inclusive education remain unresolved. The

2
CBR (community-based rehabilitation, Zambia support programme) notes indicate that there are many
different barriers or challenges to the teaching of CWDs that work as disablers to inclusion. These
barriers are often reflected in national policies and strategies; education sector plans (ESPs); robustness of
disability prevalence data; socio-cultural perception of disability; school accessibility; availability of
teaching materials; teacher preparedness; curriculum provisions; learning outcomes and multi-sectoral
approaches to disability inclusion.

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights article 26(UN 1948), it is stated that, “Everyone
has a right to education. Education shall be free at least in the elementary and fundamental stages.
Elementary education shall be compulsory.”

UN Rapporteur on human rights concluded that,” disability is the only single most important
factor excluding children from school”. The children lack learning facilities like Braille and
audio equipment, lack means of transportation and are discriminated and ignored.

The Zambian government in 2022 implemented the UN statute on education by introducing free
Education Program in which all children of school going age should attend free education at no
cost to their parents. The number of disabled children enrolled in school was 237,953, (Ministry
of Education statistics). The policy says that parents should give priority to the disabled children
and the girl child while enrolling in school.

This affirmative action is good on paper but has failed to make any impact on the education of
children with disabilities (CWDs), comment by the Zambian Agency for persons with Disability
(ZAPD). The policy drew a large enrollment of children in school but this large numbers caused
a serious shortage of teachers and teaching facilities. The children with disabilities are put at a
double disadvantage in school where they have to compete for attention and also academically.
With this large number, the disabled child is not helped much by the outnumbered teachers.

People’s negative attitudes and social actions relegate CWDs to the margins of society. Worst of
all, CWDs are not given any priority in anything let alone education; they are often well hidden
away from public view. Approximately, 7.2 of the people in Uganda have disabilities.80% of
these PWDs live in conditions of long term poverty with limited access to education. This means
that there are between 2.5 million and 5 million people with disabilities in Zambia. Looking at
the situation worldwide, 98% of 2 Children with disability (CWDs) in develop-ping countries do
not go to school (UNESCO).The global literacy rates for persons with disability (PWDs) is as

3
low as 3% for men and 1 % for women according to the ZNDP Report (1998) Research also
indicates that violence against children with disabilities occurs at annual rates of 1. 7% times
greater than their non-disabled peers.

United Nations (UN) The National school mapping census 1999 reported that there are 150,559
children with disability (CWDs) attending primary school. Of these, 40,972 had hearing
impairments, 28,668 with visual impairments, 42,325 with intellectual disabilities, and 35,624
with physical and motor disabilities. This is 2.3% of the 6.5 million children registered in
primary school. Still very few children with disabilities go to school and huge problems remain
m the instructional material and teaching staff for children with disabilities. Several teachers in
Uganda have been trained since 1997 for special needs children. It is important to note that these
teachers were meant to cover the former forty five ( 45) administrative districts, but now with the
over one hundred districts, the situation of children with disabilities is worse. The United Nation
(UN) standard on education states that education of persons with disability should form an
integral part in the national education planning and curriculum development. Despite this
legislation, children with disabilities are not given much attention. According to the Uganda
population and Housing census (2002), approximately 90% of PWDs don’t go beyond primary
education in Uganda. The universal primary education (UPE) policy does not specifically care
for the special needs children and for those who are in rural school, they suffer most.

The introduction of SNE is considered as an attempt to remove the use of labeling and
categorization. It is important to understand the factors that influence the ability of children said
to have SNE as a crucial aspect to develop more effective provision. It is estimated that there are
750 million disabled people in the world, approximately 10% of the world’s population; 150
million are children and 80% live in low-income countries with little or no access to services.
Only 2-3% of disabled children in poor countries go to school (World Bank, 2009). The
education for all (EFA) Global

Monitoring Report United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO,
2008), estimates that 77 million children are out of school and more than one third are disabled.
In Africa fewer than 10% of these children are in school. According to Peters (2007), only 1-2%
of disabled people in the countries of the South experience equity in terms of access, Most

4
developed countries have adopted a policy of greater inclusion of students with disabilities and
SNE within mainstream schooling.

A report by American Psychiatric Association (2000) cites that of children enrolled in public
schools it is believed that 5% have specific learning disabilities. According to Suzanne (2007)
including children with special needs in regular classrooms has widened the range of ability
represented in groups of young children. These trends have increased the complexity of inclusive
early childhood classrooms. The right to education for all children is. Enshrined in the universal
declaration of human rights and more recently in the millennium development goals (MDGs).

In South Africa, there are 12 million children in school and approximately 366,000 teachers in
approximately 28,000 schools including 390 schools for children with special needs. Teachers in
South Africa deal with a remnant of an inherited education system based on segregation and
exclusion of particular group of students. The introduction of SNE in South Africa was a direct
response to Act 108 of 1996 and a national commitment to the EFA movement as stated in the
UNESCO Salamanca statement of 1999.

The education white paper 6 is the guiding document for the implementation of inclusive
education in S.A. The apartheid government has established about 380 special schools SNE
today. In Uganda, the government is constantly adopting its education structure and content to
promote quality learning for all learners independent of special learning needs. The overall
structure of education to cater for learners with special needs in education introduced in early
1990s is still the backbone in the education for all learners. To ensure that all learners with
special needs were given relevant and quality education in inclusive schools, all schools in
Uganda were grouped in clusters of 15-20 schools and each cluster had a special needs education
coordinator. In 1997, Uganda started UPE with clearly stated aims and objectives for the shift
from SNE to inclusion.

5
In Tanzania, the government is trying to implement the inclusive education programme
according to the Salamanca statement of 1994. The MOE is sensitizing parents to send their
disabled children to all-inclusive schools. The government is becoming more positive toward the
rights of people with disabilities. Today, there are several primary schools in Tanzania that are
involved in inclusive education programmes. Changes towards further integration of children
said to have SNE in education are taking place in sub-Saharan Africa. Special education has for a
long time been provided in special schools and units attached to regular schools. The demand for
services for children said to have SNE has increased at all levels as a result many countries in the
region are committed to UPE. The FPE decree has created an opportunity for a large number of
children to enroll including those children said to have SNE. Education systems should become
inclusive and cater for diversity and SNE while creating equal opportunities. Governments were
asked to prioritize the improvement of their education systems by adopting laws and policies
which support the principles of inclusivity (UNESCO, 1994).

There were 1341 special units and 114 public special schools in the year 2008 in Kenya which
include vocational and technical institutions that cater for learners with special needs and
disabilities. This is still inadequate despite the government’s commitment to support the
provision of equal access to education by all children. By 2007, the percentage of people with
disabilities in Kenya is estimated at 10% of the total population of 38.6million. Approximately
25% of these are children of school going age (World Data on Education, 2007). It was therefore
essential to study the learning challenges that pupils in special need education face in public
schools.

In developing countries, the proportion of disabled children attending school is estimated

between less than 1% and 5%. The UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities which
came into force in May, 2008 requires the development of an Inclusive education system for all.
Inclusion in education is a process of enabling all children to learn and participate effectively
within mainstream school systems without segregation. It’s about shifting the focus from altering
disabled people to fit into society to transforming society and the world by changing attitudes,
removing barriers and providing the right support.

The government of Zambia has laid great emphasis on the educational rights of children and has
set precedence in favors of inclusive education by establishing special units in regular public

6
primary schools in Zambia. The Salamanca statement and framework for action on special needs
education of 1994 emphasized the schools need to change and adapt the diverse needs of all
learners. The UN convention established inclusive education as a legal and human right. One of
the major concerns of educationists and human rights activists has been the issue of EFA. The
inclusive education philosophy ensures that schools learning environments and educational
systems meet the diverse needs of all learners irrespective of their learning difficulties and
disabilities.

1.3 Statement of the problems

Educational opportunities for learners with disabilities are a major challenge to the education
sector. Many learners with Disabilities in Zambia do not access educational services. In 1999
there were only 22,000 learners with s In terms of individuals offering support, in this case
parents may fail to support their children financially because of their socio-economic status. This
may results a huge challenge on their children. The social model of disability fitted well with this
research to be carried out which is focusing on investigating the challenges which learners with
physical disabilities face in schools because it will help the researcher in identifying these
challenges in schools. This is because the social model of disability focuses on the environmental
challenges, attitudinal challenges, institutional challenges and financial challenges which act as a
framework for this study.

special needs and disabilities enrolled in special schools units and integrated programs. This
number rose to 26,885 in 2003 and 45,000 in 2008 which compares poorly with the proportion in
general education. The study therefore, found it essential to assess learning challenges faced by
learners with Disabilities in public schools for effective policy formulation and decision making.

1.4 Aim and Objectives

Aim:

1.To establish the challenges which are mostly faced by learners with disabilities in accessing
education in three inclusive selected secondary schools in Kabwe district.

Specific Objectives of the Study

7
1. To find out the challenges faced by learners with disabilities in accessing equal education
in three inclusive schools of kabwe district.

2. To establish how learners with disabilities are affected academically in accessing equal
education

3. To ascertain stakeholder’s views on means through which the society can address
problems that learners with disabilities encounter in accessing equal education.

1.5 Research Questions

This study was guided by the following questions that were grounded on the research objectives:

1. What academic challenges do learners with disabilities face in accessing equal education?

2. What strategies are put in place to foster effective participation and inclusion of learners

with disabilities in the mainstream school system?

3. What are the stakeholders’ views on the means through which the society can address these
problems that are faced by learners with disabilities?

4. what policies have been put in place by government to protect the rights of children with
disabilities.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study have provided valuable insights first to head teachers in the education
management of special need education learners in the integrated school system. The findings of
the study has also helped secondary school teacher training colleges to equip teachers with skills
and knowledge of managing special need education learners in the integrated school system. The
study findings have stimulated and facilitated the adoption of in-service programs for teachers to
be trained in special education so as to improve learning in classroom. This may enhance their
competencies in handling challenged learners and their respective needs. It has also led to the
creation of awareness among the teachers, parents and the entire community on the benefits of
educating special need learners. Finally, the study has added to the knowledge base of challenged
learners and education managers as well as create gaps in research that may prompt other
researchers to conduct similar studies in other regions or at other levels of education.

8
1.7 Limitation of the study

Eventually the research findings were limited to the answers given by the respondents. Time for
data collection was limited the amount of data collected considering that tight schedules in
schools. The researcher was limited in terms of financial resources while moving from one place
to another for data collection.

1.8 Definition of key terms

Disability: a physical, mental, cognitive, or developmental condition that limits a person's ability
to engage in certain tasks or actions.

Inclusive education: education that includes everyone, with non-disabled and disabled learners.

Special education: education meant for learners who are challenged, mentally, physically,
visually and in hearing.

Equal education: is the study and achievement of fairness, justice and impartiality in education.

Stigma: negative attitudes or discrimination against someone based on a distinguishing

characteristic such as a mental illness, skin color, cultural background, or a disability.

Curriculum: a planned interaction of pupils with instructional content, materials, resources, and
processes for evaluating an attainment of educational objectives.

SNE: stands for special needs education

CWD: stands for children with disability

Autism Deafness: A developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal

communication and social interaction.

Mental retardation: Significantly sub average general intellectual functioning existing

concurrently with deficits in 41 Multiple disabilities Orthopedic impairment adaptive behavior.

1.9 Summary

This chapter has analyzed how data analysis was carried out through the objectives such as
Identifying challenges faced by learners with disability in accessing equal education and

9
research question concerning challenges faced by learners with disability in accessing equal
education in selected schools of Kabwe district.

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Overview

Learners with disabilities have immense difficulties exercising the right to education. First, the
right to education has tended to favor children without disabilities. This chapter highlights social
cultural and economic challenges, school based challenges and teacher based challenges facing
special needs education.

2.1 Introduction

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2011), the total population of the world is seven
billion. Of this total, an estimated 15 percent of the population lives with a disability.
Globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), “people who are physically
challenged are among the most marginalized groups in the world. people with disabilities have
poorer health outcomes, lower education achievements, less economic participation and
higher rates of poverty than people without disabilities” (WHO, 2011). Regardless of existing
challenges, the disabled, particularly the physically challenged children, have the right to
primary, secondary and higher level education. Since the UN Universal Declaration on
Human Rights was released in 1948, there have been legislations on providing education for all
children.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which entered into force in 2008 and
which was ratified in UK 2009, has 145 signatories including all Public Service Agreement
(PSA) countries except Afghanistan and Zimbabwe (DFID, 2012). The convention established
that disability is not only a social welfare matter but also part of human rights. DFID (2012) has
further elaborated that; article 24 of the Convention on Education emphasized that State
Parties shall ensure that persons with disabilities are not excluded from the general
education system on the basis of physical challenges, and that children with physical

10
challenges are not excluded from free and compulsory primary education, or from
secondary education, on the basis of their disability.

2.2 The Concept of disability

The term disability is broad and covers a range of disabilities and health issues, including
both congenital and acquired disabilities (Mifflin 2003). People with physical challenges,
also known as disabled people or physically disabled people, have a physical impairment
which has a substantial and long term effect on their ability to carry our day-to-day activities.
Someone with a moderate physical challenge would have mobility problems, for example,
unable to manage stairs, and need aids or assistance to walk. Someone with a severe physical
challenge would be unable to walk and dependent on a care for mobility.

Research indicates that children with disabilities are typically 3.6 times more likely to
experience physical violence and 2.9 times more likely to experience sexual violence than are
non-disabled children. The nature and severity of the disability impacts the likelihood of abuse.
For example, children with intellectual/ psychosocial disabilities are found to be 4.6 times more
vulnerable than non-disabled children to sexual violence and exploitation. There are a number
of reasons for this. For example, children with intellectual disabilities may be less well equipped
to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior. Abusers sometimes identify
children with cognitive or communication limitations as ‘easy targets’ because of the many
challenges such children face when it comes to reporting abuse. Moreover, disabled children
continue to be perceived as ‘less reliable’ witnesses. This makes prosecuting abusers more
difficult. Data collected from rape crisis centers across Zambia reveal that disabled people using
these services are “more likely to have been subject to multiple incidents of sexual violence”
than non-disabled service users.

In addition to physical, sexual and psychological abuse, disabled children are at risk of ‘disability
specific’ forms of violence. These might include: discrimination, segregation, unnecessary
restraint, sexual assault during daily hygiene regimes, violence whilst being treated, violence in
the guise of treatment (such as electroconvulsive therapy) and over-medication. Children living
within alternative care settings are automatically at increased risk from violence.

11
Institutionalized disabled children are still more vulnerable and problems pertaining to lack of
transparency and to lack of independence in monitoring and regulation have been identified.

World Education Forum, emphasizes that that to achieve the full scope of human development
visualized in the SDGs 2030, all forms of discrimination, exclusion, disparities and inequalities
in access, participation and achievement against youth and children with disabilities should be
dealt with, irrespective of the severity or nature of their disabilities (UNESCO, 2015). This
statement and the follow up undertaking made in the Brussels Declaration that followed the 2018
Global Education Meeting embraced the idea of disability inclusion in education by defining it as
the right to safe, quality education and learning throughout (UNESCO, 2018).

Muwana and Ostrosky (2014) examined the attitudes of Zambian pre-service teachers toward the
inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Results indicated that
teachers had positive attitudes toward including learners with disabilities in general education
classrooms. Besides, the majority of pre-service teachers who took part in the research observed
that learners with special needs have a fundamental right to be educated in the general education
classroom. That inclusion promotes self-esteem among students with special needs. This
perspective is in line with the views expressed in the CRPD document (United Nations, 2006).

In schools where CWDs are enrolled in mainstream schools, prior assumptions about their
capabilities may negatively affect their experiences. For example, at a mainstream primary
school in South Africa, Ngcobo and Muthukrishna (2011) found that students were divided into
three groups: green, orange and red, according to their perceived abilities. CWD was
automatically allocated to the red group, based on the assumption that they were the least able.
Barriers to learning refer to any factors, either internal or external to the learner, that cause a
hindrance to that person’s ability to benefit from schooling (Zwane and Malale, 2018).

Children with disabilities worldwide face cultural, economic and social barriers from within and
outside the education system that directly or indirectly impact their ability to get a high-quality
education (World Bank, 2018). Demand-side barriers could manifest as stigma and attitudinal
barriers alternatively, as internalized parental and family misconceptions about children’s ability
to learn. Family resources and caregiving dynamics and financial supports could also be visible
results of the barriers. Welfare provisions and placement eligibility criteria could also be

12
manifestations of the demand-side barriers. Supply-side barriers refer to the physical
accessibility of school buildings, such as classrooms and toilets, as well as their community.

Transportation means to get to school; inaccessible learning materials, inflexible curricula,

teaching methods and examinations; teacher and educator knowledge on inclusive teaching
practices and discrimination based on disability (World Bank, 2018). Parents’ attitude toward
disability is the most critical factor in determining whether a child attends school or not. The
shame of having a child with a disability and the perception that such children are not able to
take care of themselves can result in keeping the child hidden at home (Jelagat & Ondigi, 2017).
Persons with disabilities are often not valued by society. They are considered objects of charity
as their potential and abilities are not recognized. Children with disabilities are always often seen
as incapable and economically unproductive and needing to be cared for (GPE, 2018).

The lack of robust data on disability is most commonly cited as a critical issue regarding the
education of children with disabilities. In the GPE report, thirteen countries including
Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Comoros, The Gambia, Guyana, Haiti,
Mozambique, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam lacked
disability prevalent data (GPE, 2018). The insufficiency of data on the number of CWDs
presents a challenge to determining their needs, and barriers to participation. Also, it prevents
estimating the type and kind of support they need to ensure full participation and learning.
Planning for children with disabilities can be extremely challenging when information is so
limited (Mariga, McConkey, & Myezwa, 2014).o

Various researchers point out that data from some countries may not accurately reflect the
situation of persons with disabilities concerning education. De and Singal (2016) highlight the
difficulties with official figures of enrolment of children with disabilities in education in India.
According to De and Singal, many children with disabilities may be invisible both in the
classroom and community, with teachers unaware of, or unable to identify, individuals with
disabilities in their classes.

Social Inclusion versus Social Exclusion Although there is no universally agreed definition for
social exclusion, lack of participation in society is at the heart of nearly all definitions put forth
by scholars, government bodies, non-governmental organisations and others (Levitas, Pantazis,
Fahmy, Gordon, Lloyd, & Patsios, 2007). Overall, social exclusion describes a state in which

13
individuals are unable to participate fully in economic, social, political and cultural life, as well
as the process leading to and sustaining such a state(United Nations, 2016). It is a complex and
multi-dimensional process that involves the lack of denial of resources, rights, goods and
services, and the inability to participate in the healthy relationships and activities, available to the
majority of people in a society, whether in economic, social, cultural or political arenas. It affects
both the quality of life of individuals and the equity and cohesion of the community as a whole
(Levitas et al., 2007).

2.1 Theoretical Framework

Kombo and Tromp (2009) define a theoretical framework as a collection of interrelated ideas
based on theories. Disability can better be understood by using several theoretical models drawn
from different disciplines of social sciences.

The study will be guided by the social model of disability by Rieser (2002). The social model
sees disability as the result of the interaction between people living with impairment and an
environment. This model encourages the society to view the issue of including persons with
disabilities from a human right and equality perspective rather than a focus on the persons with
disabilities from participating in any situation. It therefore carries the implication that the
environmental challenges, attitudinal challenges, institutional challenges and financial challenges
must change to enable people living with physical disabilities to participate in society on an
equal basis with others. The model will provide an analytical framework for the current study
because it will assist in identifying the challenges faced by learners with disabilities in accessing
equal education in schools by taking into account the following: the environmental challenges,
attitudinal challenges, school based challenges and financial challenges highlighted in this
model. The subsequent paragraphs therefore, try to explain how involving environmental
challenges, attitudinal challenges, school based challenges and financial challenges derived from
the social model could be used in identifying challenges faced by learners with physical
disabilities in schools.

The idea of social exclusion originated in France in the 1970s with the publication of Rene
Lenoir’s Les Exclus. Lenoir wrote about specific groups of people who he referred to as the
mentally and the physically disabled, suicidal people, elderly invalids, abused children, drug
addicts, delinquents, single parents, multi-problem households, marginal, asocial persons, and

14
other “social misfits(United Nations, 2016). Although there is no universally agreed benchmark
for exclusion, lack of participation in society is at the heart of nearly all definitions put forth by
scholars, government bodies, non-governmental organizations and others.

Overall, exclusion describes a state in which individuals with disabilities are unable to participate
fully in economic, social, political and cultural life, as well as the process leading to and
sustaining such a state. According to the social exclusion model, people with disabilities are
often present but not part of the community (Ngulube, 2016). In this research exclusion, mostly
refers to when children with disabilities are not permitted to register to attend a school, or when
they register but are told not to come to school or when there are conditions placed on their
attendance(UNICEF, 2013).

The social inclusion model has arisen from concerns over social exclusion. For the present
research, social inclusion is defined as the process of improving the terms of participation in
society for people who are disadvantaged based on disability (United Nations, 2016). Thus,
inclusion is both a process and a goal. Promoting inclusion requires tackling social by removing
barriers to disabled people’s participation in society, as well as by taking active inclusionary
steps to facilitate such participation.

The rationale for selecting the social inclusion model rests in the assumption that access to and
participation in education for learners with disabilities can be improved if exclusionary
mechanisms are identified and removed. This requires both addressing the drivers of exclusion,
including educational policies and educational institutions as well as discriminatory attitudes and
behaviors, and actively “bringing disabled people I” “(United Nations, 2016). The nature of
education policies and practices in educational settings currently define the nature of education
for learners with disabilities, thus driving educational exclusion (Peters & Besley, 2014).

As seen from the low enrolment and school completion levels show that educational institutions
may be systematically denying pupils with disabilities the recognition which would enable them
to participate fully in education and society. Discriminatory attitudes and behaviours towards the
person with disabilities further drive exclusion.

2.3 Historical Overview of the Problems

15
challenge learners in accessing equal education has been through a period of major change
since the mid-1980s. A massive expansion in learners numbers has been coupled with a
reduction in funding and greater accountability. Within this demanding context, pressure
has also been applied to secondary schools to improve accessibility for challenged people,
most recently governments have been changing its education policies by putting more
emphasis to learners with physical challenge. According to HEFCE/HEFCW (1999) physical
challenged learners pose particular challenges to access equal education not only in terms of
gaining physical access to buildings, but also in relation to much wider access issues
concerning the curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment.

The study done by Tinkling et al (2004) revealed that senior managers in secondary’s
acknowledged that secondary education has been through a period of great change, with
reductions in funding, increased workloads brought about through the huge expansion in
the leaners numbers and greater accountability.

In further education changes have focused on governance and funding with the creation
of the Further Education Funding Councils and latterly the Learning and Skills Council.
In this changing context, institutions have been under pressure through the publication of
performance indicators, the introduction of premium funding allocated on the basis of the
number of students from under-represented groups, including physical disabled people and
the amendment to the Disability Discrimination Act to widen access to under-represented
groups specifically students with physical disabilities in higher learning and to develop
policy and provision for disabled students.

Despite the demands faced by institutions, there were definite signs of progress in
provision for physical disabled students. HEFCW/W (1999) study revealed that some
institutions had at least one designated disability officer and a senior manager with
responsibility for disability issues. Where institutions did not fully meet the criteria
established as ‘base-level provision’ for physical disabled students, as specified by the Higher
Education Funding Councils for England and Wales, significant numbers reported partially
meeting them.

These criteria constitute a minimum level of provision and include, for example, having adequate
staffing, ensuring the needs of physical disabled students are considered in the design and

16
refurbishment of the physical environment and having an institution-wide policy and
procedure covering examinations and assessments, which addresses the needs of physical
disabled students in higher learning institutions. While all of these signs of progress were
encouraging, the student case studies revealed gaps and showed that significant barriers
remain to the participation of physical disabled students in higher education as revealed
in the study by Teach ability (2002) that most of the physical disabled students experienced
barriers to accessing their education relating to the physical environment or teaching and
learning (or both) at some point during their studies. In addition, the institution and
course choice of some students was affected by physical access issue.

2.4 World Wide Empirical Studies

DFID and UKAID (2010) describe the under-reporting of the disability worldwide. This
underreporting is, in some cases, due to the stigma of having a child with a disability. Many
national household studies in the developing world massively underestimate the number of
CWDs, partly because many children born with disabilities are not registered due to weak child
registration systems. Estimates of the percentage of children with disabilities who are in school
are an incorrect, underestimated number of CWD identified. Disability-disaggregated data is also
not available in several countries, making it impossible to track the learning outcomes of
children with disabilities.

Riddell et al., (2002) study reveals the evident that secondary schools increasingly
encourage and welcome international learners’ participation in schools. what is not evident is
the ways in which these opportunities have been open to specifically challenged learners, and
how many have chosen to travel and live abroad countries such as UK.

Barnes, (1991) stated that historically, institutional discrimination against disabled people has
been deeply ingrained, and a multitude of barriers to their full participation in everyday
life, including education, has been created and perpetuated. Docherty et al. (2004) argue that
access to equal education has been conventionally based on the selection of the intellectually
able and gifted. Thus the educational system has excluded those deemed to be educationally
incompetent or not considered elite but not consideration in terms of physical ability or
disabled.

17
2.5 African Empirical Studies

The study done by FOTIM (2011) in South Africa on disabled students in higher learning
institutions found that for students with disabilities, inequalities in higher education begin
with inequalities within the whole schooling system of South Africa. It further elaborated
that historically there was a dominant mainstream system for “normal” learners and a
secondary system of specialized education for learners with so-called special needs. In the latter
system very often, however, the curricula was inappropriate to prepare learners for the
world of work and only a very limited number offered tuition up to matriculation (now Grade
12) level effectively excluding many learners from higher education opportunities.

Many learners especially those with physical disability were also totally excluded from the
education system. Implementing the Disabilities Act of 2012. As such, it is in an excellent
position to encourage tighter cooperation from different ministries to enable the implementation
of the Act. Working together with the Ministry of Health, it could enable provision of a
standardized medical assessment of children with disabilities before the start of each school year,
which would include any necessary prescription as well as the provision of necessary assistive
devices.

Some informants expressed a great need for an organized and preferably a governmental
provision of assistive devices. Currently, assistive devices are only sporadically provided by
multiple NGOS. Children grow, and the need for yearly assessment of both physical health and
assistive devices is necessary.
In Zambia, Mung’omba (2008) did a study on Comparative Policy Brief Status of Intellectual
Disabilities. The findings of the study were that traditional beliefs about the causes of intellectual
disabilities were cited as the main reason why persons with intellectual disabilities were
discriminated and stigmatized in society. They were considered to be at the margins of society
despite the enactment of ant discriminatory policies and laws. The study further discovered that
there were many Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and faith based organizations that
were trying to ameliorate the sufferings of children with disabilities but that their efforts were
hampered by high poverty levels in the country. Apart from that, the country lacked adequate
social safety nets to support people with disabilities.

18
2.6 Types of Disability

Physical and health conditions are classified as either congenital or acquired. learners with
congenital conditions either are born with disability or develop them soon after birth.
Acquired disabilities are those developed through injury or disease while the child is developing
normally. Muller (1994) identified types of disability challenges as follows: Paraplegia,
Quadriplegia, Multiple sclerosis (MS), Hemiplegia, Cerebral palsy, Absent limb or reduced
limb function Dystrophy and Polio. Paraplegia and Quadriplegia are what people first
identify with a physical challenge. Paraplegia results from injury to the spinal cord,
occurring below the neck, while quadriplegia refers to damage to the spinal cord in the neck.
Varying degrees of loss of limb and other mobility may result from either condition. Other
forms of disability, such as polio (an acquired disease), cerebral palsy (damage to brain tissue
during fetal stages) and some genetic conditions can result in loss of mobility.

2.7 General disability issues

Most of the world's population lives in less developed regions and it is estimated that education
services do not reach 3% of the men and 1 % of the women in the world (UNDP 1998).It has
also been suggested that the situation has not significantly improved between the 1960s and
1970s.In a comprehensive survey representing 33 countries with half the world's population,
James (1984) estimated there to be 14 million physically handicapped persons of whom 1 in 6
needed some form of special device. Only 1 % had any form of assistance whatsoever, Research
by the International disability consortium (IDDC) estimated that 98 % of children with
disabilities are denied any formal education.

2.8 Socio-cultural and economic challenges of Children with disabilities are faced with
problems right from home which limit them from accessing education.

In the school environment natural surroundings and the infrastructure are supposed to be
accessible to learners with physical disabilities and especially those in wheelchairs or those using
other mobility aides. It will also mean that learners with physical disabilities need to be provided
with elevators in upstairs buildings, ramps and paved pathways in all buildings. In the
infrastructure there is need of having double doors.

19
As is the case with most LDCs, rural households live in situations of abject poverty. As a result,
most CWDs are left out of the social services which others are enjoying. Most African societies
are characterized by many attitudes, beliefs and norms which marginalize the disabled child.
According to Goffman (1963), stigma is an attitude which is extremely discrediting. To him,
stigma comes about as society's reaction to individuals who do not conform to cultural norms. It
7 is common to find children with disabilities being looked at as no conformers and deviants
(Scott, 1972) Thus to a considerable extent, society tends to discredit them. Consequently, these
children are devalued, isolated, avoided and neglected which results into lack of access to
essential social services like education and health (Katz, 1981).

It is imperative to note that the mark on the particular individual himself may be of little
importance but the particular relationships that the bearer of the mark is defined in (Goffman,
1963). In line with this, when normal individuals develop anxiety as a result of being near a
person with disability, the disabled person feels rejected. This is common among children when
"normal children" tend to send away the disabled ones and excluding them from play activities
with fear that the (normal children) can get infected by interacting with the disabled child.

The economic factors that influence disability related stigma keeping children out of school
includes poverty and household related activities. According to Gills et al (1992) rural
households are characterized by a vicious cycle of poverty which makes it impossible for the
household to provide essential needs for its members. Most of the households in rural areas are
poor and those with CWDs do not even have money to provide special appliances like knee pads,
wheel chairs and crutches. This makes most parents leave their disabled children out of school,
even with the UPE program (Muyinda and Burton, 1992) 8 Due to absence of special facilities,
children who cannot walk are left inside the house because they cannot walk. Those without
physical disabilities are left to do domestic work and cattle keeping. Poverty is another major
obstacle.

2.9 School based challenges

Most developing countries which implemented the free education after the 1948 declaration of
human rights by the UN are facing related problems in integrating disabled children in regular
schools. A survey of Zambia shows that efforts have been made to include and integrate
physically, behaviorally, emotionally and mentally challenged children into the mainstream

20
education system with notable success and failure. A significant number has often opted out (or
forced out) of the system due to the existing environmental conditions inability to respond to
their specific needs emotionally, physically and socially. There is need to focus on the school
and community environments so as to create and sustain conducive atmosphere for successful
and effective enabling (at least educationally) of children with challenges. Rural schools and
communities which carry negative conservative and stereotypical, derogative tags for people
with 'disabilities' deserve special attention.

3.0 The Challenges of Being a Teacher:

Teachers in Zambia often teach within their own socio-cultural communities especially in
secondary schools. They carry with them the superstitions, rituals and attitudes which usually
involve the verbal formulae and transmitted as part of a culture (Skinner, 1965) that often has a
false sense of causation of disability. Ideally, they are supposed to be neutral, professional and
context specific. This has severally proved impossible as a recent case of a school refusing
admission to a HIV positive child demonstrated. Teachers like the majority of the community
suffer from stereotyping attitudes that perceive more the inability and differences of the disabled
than their abilities and potentials.

This forces the pupils of such teachers to double-barreled battles: the battle of limitations created
by their individual conditions and the battle to get objective perception by the others (Kalaffman
and Hallahan, I 979). There is also the tendency of teachers to overprotect them, by isolating
them from any physical or demanding activities (Kinaga, 1985). This results from the dilemma
facing the teachers whether they should teach 'neutrally' or care for the challenged learners.

Evidence shows that most teachers display widespread inattention individual differences as they
attempt to remain professional and neutral. Objectively, the teacher needs to be a facilitator of
individual learning. He/she needs to create and maintain a network of class and school
relationships from which the individual learner learns and accordingly contributes to. Because
the majority of schools in Zambia lack special needs expert teachers, but have special needs
learners, there is urgent need to make every teacher responsive to learner challenges: Every
teacher needs to be fully capacitated to respond to challenged learners. A number of challenges
face teachers in Zambia:

21
Lack of clear understanding of inclusion, disability /challenges and general awareness due to
limited and accessibility to information, studies/ research reports. Even the researches carried out
are generally quantitative dwelling more on numbers and ratios rather than the actual social,
emotional and motivational aspects at the core of teaching.

Attitudes of decision-makers, government that are negative or non-committal. Administrators

starting from the school to the national level do not encourage initiatives to train and sensitize
teachers about disability and challenges of learners.10 Commitment is only demonstrated in
government policy papers and a few select institutions instead of a bottom-up system that needs
to be ingrained in the whole system.

Motivational challenges: Teachers in Zambia are generally on poorly motivated people in terms
of salaries, job description and specification, poor and inadequate working conditions and
facilities. To be an enabling teacher, specific efforts and motivational structures need to be put in
place to ensure that teachers are motivated. To have a ration of 1:50 and expect such a teacher to
be individual learner sensitive not only defies logic but human capacity.

Lack of learning facilities and materials as most schools are crowded and teachers overworked.
It is a struggle for the fittest and of the challenged is disadvantaged.

Physical environment in schools: the crowded classes are often dangers to those with special
needs. Most institutions in Kenya are disability unconscious - even universities. For example,
they are wheelchair inaccessible, and lack specific learner sensitive seating arrangements.

Socio-cultural attitudes and systems that condemn disability selectively and does not create
avenues for accommodation and inclusion. The way in which children and teachers are reared
and socialized in their nonnative years contributes to their adjustment and response to school
environment. It is mostly disability-unfriendly. Poverty in most rural communities that create
other forms of disability that tends to make teachers view disability complacently, as just normal
or usual.

The curriculum structure and content - present disability in negative tens, it's very wide and
challenges the teachers' capacity to meet its demands and is not most cases learner sensitive.

22
On the Tanzanian situation, the disabled child faces similar challenges. "With often over 100
children in their classrooms already, teachers in Tanzania can be unwilling to take in students
with disabilities or special needs. But they have every right to an education ", (Tanzanian
education coordinator Edward Masangwa) In the developing world, only 2% of children with
disabilities ever go to school. Many of these children can and should be in class and are capable
of learning and contributing to their communities and the economy. Being fully-integrated into
the school environment is very important for the rehabilitation process and for ending
discrimination in our society.

The doorways are rarely wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair, plus there are barely any
toilet facilities in schools accessible to children in wheelchairs. The children with the
wheelchairs are the lucky ones; many do not have any kind of mobility device and must rely on
their parents to carry them to school and on friends to assist them.

There is also a serious shortage of teaching aids and books available for children with
disabilities." From the above literature, it is evident that the free education system does not
adequately cater for the disabled child in less developed countries.

In Zambia, there is a current teacher- pupil ratio of 1 :50 (Ministry of education). The problem is
that there are few trained teachers for special needs children and no specific policy caters for the
disabled child in a public school. Most of them have to sit in class with their non-disabled
counterparts and compete for the teacher's attention. Many countries have embraced special
education, with programs being based on statistics that are often inconsistent. For example,
nobody really knows the exact number of children who can be classified as disabled in Zambia,
the nature of their disability and the special response appropriate to their situation. Such statistics
fallaciously assume that:-

i) All so-called disabled children are one homogenous group

ii) Their needs are obvious, clearly defined and special

iii) Without planned, fo1mal special education, no relevant and valuable education takes place,
thus dismissing the common 'casual integration' all over the public schools.

23
 iv) Principally that 'more is better'; hence when large numbers are registered the programs are
successful (Peters, 1993).

v) Children screened, assessed, labeled and registered deserve benefiting from the special
inclusion programs (DANIDA, 1993) thus ignoring the dynamism and flexibility of schools to
respond to pupils of different abilities without labeling them. To this end then, the current
special education programs that train only individual specialist teachers are inadequate and need
to be re-evaluated.

Every teacher needs to be skilled and trained in responding to special learner demands. This
will enable them to transform the wider sociocultural contexts and situate the programs more
accurately. Special expertise then can be reserved for those dealing with acute challenges such
as total blindness, the absolutely mentally 13 retarded or the deaf who required special skills;
though in the long run it will be necessary that all teachers have such skills. Strategies for
enhancing access Each country has adopted its own strategy to help disabled children attain
education, but UNESCO in June (1994), adopted The Salamanca Statement and Framework for
Action on Special Needs Education as the basis for helping disabled children.

This frame work for action states that: For teachers to be able to create a conducive environment
for challenged learners, the following must be clearly dealt with: -

Purpose: Besides clearly understanding what challenges the learners face in the particular school-
community context, they need to be committed to the ideals of equal and inclusive education.
More so, they need to be advocates of child rights and learner-centered pedagogic practices. This
will ensure that as individuals they gain a sense of purpose, direction and realistic evaluation of
the challenge involved.

Realistic goals and targets: Though the school can set overall goals, the teacher must formulate a
systematic game plan, which must set realistic priorities. This must account for the demands,
challenges faced and the resources available.

Teachers can harmonize these goals if need be and make them acceptable so as to foster
participation. This will go a long way into making the whole school environment conducive to
the enabling project.

24
Curriculum Flexibility: The curriculum needs to be flexibly designed to allow teachers to
manipulate it and apply various teaching methodologies. Materials such as books need to be
sensitive to the teachers' challenges or flexible enough for teachers to adjust according to the
learners' needs. Particularly, textbooks and other learning materials need to be sensitive to the
various challenges that learners are likely to face, it has been found that the books actually
'disable' some learners by the kind of 14 images portray of disabled categories of people. This
though can be best done at the national policy level.

Motivation: The desire to face the challenges and create an appropriate enabling environment
needs adequate motivation among teachers. Faced by the prevalent attitudinal challenges, there's
need to encourage massive investment in terms of resources and time into motivating teachers.

Community action: Countries need to engage community’s m an extensive sensitization to

change the biases they have against disabled children. This will make them more acceptable in
the community and in schools.

3.1 Summary of literature

A curriculum which suits the educational needs of children with disabilities should be designed
together with the pedagogical way of teaching as well as the educational environment that will
suit the learners. It’s important to design a simple curriculum so as to make it easy for the
participants to understand, achieve good outcomes, and prevent lack of participation from the
student. To improve upon the capabilities of children with disabilities and children with special
education needs, the choice of the right curriculum and pedagogical practice for training as well
as education environment is very important (Mcdermott, 1993), referring to a study in American
society.

25
CHARPTER THREE

3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 OVERVIEW

This chapter provides details on the research design and methodology that was applied in the
sourcing, processing and analysis of the data. The methodology shed light on the target
population, sample size and sample techniques, research instruments, data collection as well as
data analysis techniques. Consequently, this chapter also address the ethical considerations of the
study.

3.2 RESEARCH DESINGS

Both qualitative and quantitative methods was used in the process of analyzing the data. As well
as flexible and interactive strategies such as interviews, small group discussion and
questionnaires.

3.3 TARGET POPULATION

The target population for this study involved pupils, teachers, school managers and people from
the community in different secondary schools in Kabwe district urban area.

3.4 SAMPLE SIZE

26
The target number of people were 50 respondents: which included 25 pupils, 20 teachers and 5
Head teachers.

3.5 SAMPLE TECHNIQUES

Both simple random procedure and purposive sampling was used in the selection of the targeted
groups. The simple random procedure was selected because it accorded each pupil an equal
chance of being selected while purposive sampling was used to select teachers.

3.6 RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS

The research used questionnaires both open and closed and interviews in the process of
collecting data from respondents as primary source. Existing literature was used as secondary
source of data.

3.7 DATA COLLECTION

The researcher personally collected the data by distributed the questionnaires, conducted oral
interviews using various interview guides and also conducted focus group discussion.

3.8 DATA ANALYSIS

Both quantitative and qualitative methods was used in the process of analyzing the data by the
researcher. The data was tabulated and then analyzed using percentages, bar graphs, pie charts.
The tabulation and analysis was done using statistical computer packages which included SPSS,
and EXCEL.

3.9 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The researcher complied with the ethical principles which aim at protecting the dignity and
privacy of every individual who, in the course of the research work provided personal
information about themselves or others. Before an individual becomes the subject of the research
they were notified of the aims, methods and anticipated benefits of the research. The right of
individuals to abstain from participation in the research and the confidential nature of the
responses given were addressed by the researcher in the study. No pressure or inducement of any
nature was applied to encourage an individual become a subject of the research.

27
The identity of individuals from whom information was obtained in the course of the project was
strictly kept confidential and any information that revealed the identity of individuals who were
subjects of the research were destroyed unless the individual concerned consented in writing to
its inclusion in the final draft.

3.10 Summary

This chapter presents the methodology which were used to gather information about challenges
faced by learners with disability in accessing equal education through population sample,
sampling procedures, research instruments for data collection and analysis.

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION

4.0 OVERVEW

This chapter will present the findings of the study. The researcher here interprets the findings in
accordance with the objectives of the study. The researcher aimed at finding out if the
responses received are in agreement with findings of previous researchers. The findings are in
order of school based, cultural, economic and policy related challenges facing the children with
disabilities in accessing education.

4.1 General Information about the schools and the Respondent

Response Rate
Out of 50 questionnaires which had been administered to the interviewees, 44 of them were
returned for analysis. This translates to 88% percent return rate of the respondents. Overall, the
response rate can be considered to have been very high as shown in Table 4.1. According to
Mugenda & Mugenda (2003) a 50% response rate is adequate, 60% good and above 70% rated
very good. Based on this assertion; the response rate in this case of 88% is excellent.

28
Table 4.1 Response
Category respondents of Questionnaires Percentage return
Sample size returned rate

Head teachers 5 3 6%

Teachers 20 18 36%

Pupils 25 23 46%

Total 50 44 88%

4.2 Table : showing the characteristics of learners respondents in school.

Age Sex Number Percentage Class

Male Female
12-18 9 7 16 90 8A-8D
13-20 6 8 14 80% 9A-9C
20+ 4 9 13 75 10S-10D
Total 19 24 43 100%

Interpretation

This table shows the demographic characteristics of the focus group informants in school. These
children were picked from each class to represent their counterparts in the focus group
discussions. As seen above, an equal number of males and females was picked to ensure fair data
collection in view of the unique challenges they face. 90 of these children were in lower primary
(8A-8D).

29
The secondary ones were yet to report as the data collection was in the first week of the new
school term and registration for primary one was still going on. They constituted the majority of
the respondents. Only 80% of these children were in age range 12-18 and in class primary five to
six. The remaining 75% of the disabled children aged 18 sand over were only two in number and
in secondary seven. The drastic fall in their numbers is attributed to school drop outs due to the
various reasons presented here in.

4.3 Table 2: Showing the characteristics of the teacher respondents as sampled from two
secondary schools

Age range of teachers Sex No. Percentage (%)

M F
20-25 0 3 3 23
25-30 1 3 4 30.7
30+ 3 3 6 46.1
Total 4 9 13 100

Interpretation
The above table shows that only 31 % of the teacher respondents were male with their female
counterparts making 69 percent. The sample taken from the two schools was based on how
informed the respondents were on the subject of disability and also on availability of the
respondents .However, It is not a reflection of the male-female ratio of teachers (which if it were
the case, the figures would be the reverse).It is important to note that out of these thirteen
teachers interviewed, only two (15.38) had acquired some training on how to help the disabled
child in class. Most of the school had very few female teachers, sometimes one or two as
opposed to the many male teachers.

4.4 Showing educational level of teachers

30
 The study as shown in Figure 4.4 found that majority of the teachers (38.89% had a Bachelor’s
degree, the rest had Master’s degree (27.78%), P1 (16.67%) and Diploma (11.11%)
respectively.

4.6 Lack of Commitment and Skills among Teachers with regard to SNE

As shown in Fig 4.6 majority of the teachers (44.44%) strongly agreed that they lacked commitment

and skills with regard to SNE learning. They were supported by 38.89% of the teachers who agreed to

the same. However, 16.67% disagreed with this opinion.

4.7 Challenges of Curriculum and Teaching Style in SNE Learning

31
 The study as shown in Figure 4.7 found out that 72.22% of the teachers had curriculum and teaching

challenges with regard to SNE, 16.67% strongly agreed that the current system of curriculum did not

cater well for the children with learning disabilities. However, 11.11% of the teachers did not agree to

the opinion.

4.4.1 Teaching and Learning Materials Availability for learners with Disabilities
The question drew attention to learners with disability on whether or not teaching and learning
materials

were available for learners with disabilities. Out of 12 learners with disability visited in all sampled
selected secondary schools, 10 disabled students, equivalent to 83.3 percent agreed that teaching
and learning materials were available for them. Two (2) learner with disability which counted for 16.7
percent did not agreed that teaching and learning materials were available for them.

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative

Percent
Valid Yes 10 83.3 83.3 83.3
No 2 16.7 16.7 100.0
Total 12 100.0 100.0

32
These results show that in most secondary schools there were enough teaching and learning materials
for learners with disability. Some disabled students argued that in academic context they were treated
very equally with other students who are not physically disabled hence study materials such as
books, handouts, pamphlets and all other academic materials were distributed equally to all
students. However, many physically disabled students, who were sponsored by Higher Education
Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) declared to receive money on each year of study specifically for
stationery purposes hence enabled them to purchase all necessary academic materials for their study.

The remaining two learners with disabilities affirmed not to receive any financial assistance
whether from government or non-government organizations instead they depended on family
support which does not ensure accessibility to all teaching and learning material as their families were
poor.

Figure 4.8: Benefits of integrated learning to CWD

As shown in figure 4.8, majority of the teachers (72.22% disagreed that integrated learning
was benefitting children with disabilities, 16.67% agreed while 11.11% strongly agreed that
integrated learning was helping children with disabilities.

Figure 4.9: The rate the academic performance of children with disabilities in schools.

33
 10% 5%

avarage
Good The data in figure: 4.9
20%
very good
60% poor stands to present the
very poor rating of academic
performance of
children with physical
disabilities in secondary schools. 60 percent of the respondents argued that the current academic
performance of children with disabilities in secondary schools is average, the other group of
respondents who stood at 20% agreed that the performance is good, on the other side of the coin
another type of respondents who were at 10% reviewed that the performance is very good. In
another category of respondent 5% said the performance is poor while on the other hand another
5% said that the performance is very poor.

Figure 5.0: How efficient is the interaction between leaners with disabilities and the Non-
Disabled learners in secondary schools?

INTERACTION CHART

3; 15%
Moderate
The above
not effective
10; 50% Effective chart
7; 35%
represents the
level of
interaction
between
learners with disabilities and the Non-disabled or the so called “Normal” children in a
secondary school setting. From the data presented and gathered from respondent. It shows
clearly that 10 respondents which represents the percentage of 50% argued that the interaction
between the physically challenged and the non-disabled is moderate, while 7 respondents which
34
stands at a percentage of 35% agreed that the interaction is not effective, on the other hand the 3
respondents which represents a percentage of 15% argued that the interaction is very effective.

Table 5.1: Showing the Challenges faced by CWDs in accessing Education

Reason (n) out of 20 Percentage (%)

Lack of support from teachers 3 15
Discrimination 4 20
Distance from school 4 20
Economic hardships 2 10
Reason (n)out of twenty Percentage
Parental negligence 5 25
Lack of personal will 1 5
Others 1 5
Total 20 100

Interpretation

In the table above, a total of forty children with disabilities were asked to name the problems
they face in accessing education. As indicted in the table, 25% of the children said that their
parents do not provide then with the basic requirements to go to school. Others are deliberately
denied access and, it was discovered that parental negligence is also caused by illiteracy of the
parents. Lack of support from teachers was also another problem contributing to 20%.Teachers
lack the language to communicate and some have prejudices which are disheartening to the

35
disabled learners. Long distance from school is mostly a result of lack of mobility devices, 20%
and discrimination from both the community and fellow schoolmates.

Table 5.2: Showing Parents' education status as got from seven (7) respondents

Level of education Number out of seven Percentage (%)

None 3 42.85
Primary 2 28.57
O’ level 1 14.28
A’ level 1 14.28
Total 7

Interpretation

It was evident that there was a connection between the parents' lack of education and the
enrollment of children with disabilities in school. As it was a case of three selected schools, most
of the learners with disabilities out of school cited parental neglect as the cause of their staying
out of school. Very few parents had attended primary and secondary and could not even answer
the questionnaires in English. Only 14.28 had reached A' Level.

36
Summary
This chapter presents the findings of the field visit. It describes the challenges which leaners
with disabilities face in most schools of Kabwe district. The impact of these challenges on
academic performance of children with disabilities in secondary schools of Kabwe including the
staffs and learners, the data consistently highlights the tremendous challenges which physically
disabled learners under go through. All respondents in this section answered according to their
views about challenges faced by leaners with disabilities in schools.

CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS

5.0 introduction

This chapter contains the discussion of the findings of the study in accordance to the research
objectives. Which were: To find out the challenges faced by learners with disability in accessing
equal education in kabwe district. (2) To ascertain how learners with disability are affected
academically in accessing equal education (3) determine stakeholders’ views on means
through which the society can address problems that learners with disability encounter in
accessing equal education.

5.1 Relevance of Content or Subject Matter

During the questioning on the subject matter, some respondents argued that course contents was
relevant because students were prepared to face social problems and to control their
environment. One of the respondents said: “The knowledge gained through our curriculum is
available to assist me in real life situations but how it helps me depends on extra measures and
efforts that I will take when I complete my studies”Some of respondents did not agreed on the

37
relevance of subject matter. This group of respondents proclaimed that students learn from
different things that they encounter at educational level. It is similar by saying they were
given shallow study.

Siebers (2008) argued that many causes and conditions can impair mobility and movement. The
inability to use legs, arms, or the body trunk effectively because of paralysis, stiffness, pain, or
other impairments is common. It may be the result of birth defects, disease, age, or accidents.
These disabilities may change from day to day. They may also contribute to other disabilities
such as impaired speech, memory loss, short stature, and hearing loss.

People with mobility and movement impairments may find it difficult to participate when
facing social and physical barriers. Quite often they are individuals of courage and
independence who have a desire to contribute to the fullest level of their ability. Some are totally
independent, while others may need part-or full-time assistance (Johnstone, 2001).

5.2 challenges faced learners with disability in accessing equal education.

The study traced infrastructure situations in contexts of availability, accessibility and

condition in all selected secondary schools in kabwe to determine whether the situations
support students with disability to study and live comfortably. The areas that the study
examined included classroom. Areas which were highly associated with academic and
infrastructure issues and knowledge acquiring such as ICT lab and language/science
laboratories seemed to be very inadequate comparing to number of enrolled learners. This
made the sense that learners who are disabled needed to share learning resources such as
sharing one computer among five to ten students that according Farrant (2009) leads to their poor
competences and performances of those subjects.

The teachers have no language of instruction to the disabled learners some of whom are speech
impaired or partially blind. These learners end up being passive participants in class and in the
end, their performance is so poor that they opt to drop out of school.

38
As shown in table 5.1, 15 % cited lack of support from teachers. Only one teacher per school had
some knowledge of special needs education. Inaccessibility of the schools accounts for 20% and
lack of personal will towards education accounted for 5%. 36 There is also high number of
children in SNE Schools which makes it difficult to give individual attention to disabled learners.
The teachers are also poorly motivated and still have prejudices against disability. 5.1.2 Socio-
Cultural challenges .There is also a high level of discrimination of the disabled child both in the
community and in school.

In the community, they are used as domestic workers and cheap labor, teased, isolated and stereo
typed. It is the same in schools where these children are excluded by their peers, mocked at and
used as points of reference in play activities. This makes some of them feel rejected and
eventually, they drop out of school. In table 5.1, discrimination accounts for out of 20 % of the
challenges faced by CWDs.

The issue of environmental challenges is understood in the following manner in the social model
of disabilities. According to Rieser (2002) the model states that environmental challenges are
understood as challenges that are caused due to the natural surroundings and the infrastructure
that affect mobility of learners with physical disabilities. The natural surroundings and the
infrastructure may lack inclusive design features such as the natural environment that have
passages for learners with physical disabilities to pass without problems, infrastructure that have
ramped building with double door entrances and the infrastructure that have terrains that may not
hinder participation of learners with physical disabilities in academic activities.

School based challenge is another issue discussed by the social model of disability. Rieser (2002)
pointed out that according to the social model of disability institutional challenges are
understood as those which involve legislation and related regulations and policies. Rieser (2002)
went to say that relevant legislation affects individuals with disabilities by requiring access to
key rights such as education. Legislation and policy maybe present but if they are not
implemented it may affect learners with disabilities in schools. If the curriculum for learners with
disabilities are not fully implemented, infrastructure are not modified, trained teachers to handle
these learners are not enough, the teaching and learning materials are inadequately provided
because it is not mandatory for the providers to do so learners with physical disabilities may be

39
affected academically. This also may result in challenges that learners with physical disabilities
may face at school.

The other issue which the social model of disability took into account is the attitudinal
challenges. Rieser (2002) stated that according to the social model of disability attitudinal
challenges are understood as negative attitude toward certain mental traits or behaviors, or
underestimating the potential quality of life of those with disabilities. In the case of learners with
physical disabilities the negative attitude towards metal traits implies that others will not accept
these learners by not being with them, studying with them, eating with them, learning with them
and playing with them and this type of attitude affects their academic learning because being
together is one channel in which learners would learn many things from friends including
academic work. Another meaning of attitudinal challenge concerning underestimating the
potential quality of life of those learners with physical disabilities is that others at school
understand them as people who can perform below the standard level. For this reason they may
be looked down upon and despised.

5.3 Economic challenges

Parents also had very little enthusiasm because of poverty to enroll their disabled children in
school. Many children with disabilities were kept at home and some of them as domestic
workers. This poor attitude to education of the disabled children is reinforced by the high levels
of illiteracy amongst the parents of the disabled children.

These ranges from the failure to develop comprehensive Plans and failure to train special needs
teachers and lack of coordinated plans to encourage disabled to stay in school. There is also the
problem caused by all schools offering day education excluding boarding which makes it hard
for CWDs to move to and from school on daily basis. Inaccessibility of school due to long
distance accounts for 20% of the challenges these children face.

Furthermore, the situation hinders the academic development of disabled learners in the
sense that it make them to depend on their fellow students hence leads them to learn more
theoretically rather than practically due to their condition. The situation could be avoidable
through ensuring that all necessary learning facilities are adequate and inclusive.
Researcher experienced that many learners especially those with disabilities students relied

40
on less practical studying material such as teachers handouts and notes while not exposed to
competence-based learning materials which are found on unavailable infrastructure such as ICT
labs.

Parents, teachers and traditional leaders indicated that economic factors such as poverty and
unemployment contributed greatly to exclusion of children from accessing education. Most
parents of children with disabilities were unemployed and poor. Similarly, Kelly (1991) reported
that children with disabilities especially girls were victims of poverty. Their parents in most
cases were poor and had to struggle to feed and clothe them. Paying school fees was a luxury for
such parents. As a measure to economic barriers, especially the issue of school fees, the
Government of the Republic of Zambia abolished payment of school fees from grades 1 to 7.

In addition, some vulnerable children from basic to tertiary level of education were even
benefiting from bursary scheme by the government. Such a practice was consistent with the
government policy on education. For instance, MOE (1996) stated that government would
disperse all direct educational costs for children with special educational needs and would
provide bursaries for such individuals at all levels of education. Sensitization campaign is
therefore, required to parents, children and teachers for them to know that basic education
especially grades 1-7 was free in Zambia. There was also need to empower parents of children
with disabilities so that they could meet the educational needs of their children since those in
grades 8 – 12 and tertiary level of education pay school fees. Non Governmental Organizations
could also supplement government efforts by providing bursaries to vulnerable children and
those with disabilities.

5.4 Inclusive Teaching and Learning Methods

The study intended to seek whether or not the teaching and learning methods/approaches
used by teachers/tutors/lectures are inclusive thus consider physically disabled students and those
without disabilities as equal. Out of 12 respondents visited as shown in table 12,eight (8)
respondents who were amounted for 66.7 percent of the entire sample argued that teaching
and learning methods/approaches used by teachers were not inclusive. The remaining four
(4) respondents who were equivalent to 33.3 percent revealed that teaching and learning
methods/approaches used by teachers were inclusive and extended equal treatment to both
disabled and the rest of the students equally.

41
5.5 Inadequate funding to schools

A report, the National Assessment of Progress in Education, showed that by July 2004, Zambia
lacked 60,000 classrooms, with many classes having more than 100 pupils. Nearly 60 percent
had no adequate sitting space, less than 50 percent had access to safe drinking water and only 20
percent had enough latrine and washing facilities. This problem of inadequate funding makes it
even harder to put up any special facilities for children with disabilities. One head teacher noted
that CDF funds "are not adequate to finance school programs."

The issue of financial challenges is understood in the following manner in the social model of
disabilities. According to Rieser (2002) the model states that financial challenges are understood
as inadequate funding and lack of fundraising activities to run these schools. Rieser (2002) added
that teaching learners with physical disabilities takes specialists and additional staff to support
the learners’ needs, coordinating services and offering individual supports to learners with
physical disabilities and requires additional money from fundraising activities to run the schools
effectively, particularly in a tight economy. Therefore, inadequate funding hinders the education
of learners with disability.

In the case of learners with disabilities, adequate funding is required in order for teachers and
support staff to give effective support to learners with physical disabilities. Secondly, inadequate
funding to schools will result in challenges learners may face at school such as lack of funds to
procure physiotherapy materials, additional materials such as calipers, electrified beds,
artificially made shoes, crutches and computers for those who are unable to write.

In terms of individuals offering support, in this case parents may fail to support their children
financially because of their socio-economic status. This may results a huge challenge on their
children. The social model of disability fitted well with this research to be carried out which is
focusing on investigating the challenges which learners with physical disabilities face in schools
because it will help the researcher in identifying these challenges in schools. This is because the
social model of disability focuses on the environmental challenges, attitudinal challenges,
institutional challenges and financial challenges which act as a framework for this study.

The issue of inadequate funding to schools to a great extent hinders implementation of inclusive
education in Zambia. For instance, unsuitable infrastructure, inadequate learning resources,

42
inadequate trained teachers in special education could all be attributed to inadequate funding by
the government. UNESCO (1994) suggested that government should increase resources such as
funding, teaching and learning materials in the mainstream when learners with special
educational needs are included.

In addition, Ministry of Education (2006) states that nongovernmental organizations and the
community should also supplement the efforts of the government in supporting the
implementation of inclusive schooling programs. Such support would minimize the problem of
inadequate funding by government to schools. In turn more children with disabilities may access
education.

5.6 Inadequate facilities for the disabled.

The schools do not have adequate facilities like special toilets, ramps and furniture for the
disabled. Learning aides are not there for the disabled learners and they have to rely on what
little their disability allows them to get in class. Two of these schools visited (Broadway and
Neam tree) have two toilets each with ramps and two classroom blocks with ramps. However,
these facilities are not enough. Take an example of the ramps in classrooms, not all classes have
them and yet some of the classes with ramps have no disabled pupils. This makes mobility of
these children hard as one head teacher put it.

5.7 The high number of pupils in the inclusive setting

There is a significant increase in the number of children enrolling in schools and this is a major
obstacle to the disabled learners. The classrooms are always too congested. In some areas classes
are conducted under mango trees. The current ratio of teacher to pupil is I: 110. This is extremely
high and not conducive to proper learning and good attaining good standards. With this ratio, the
children with disabilities who need special attention simply get "swallowed" in the congested
classrooms.

This concurs with what Bwonderi (2002) wrote about on the Zambia situation, that Teachers are
grossly outnumbered, I: 50. Note that this is in Zambia but in Uganda, the ratio is far worse,
almost double. To expect such an overworked teacher to handle all the children with equality is
asking for too much.

43
The introduction of free education program has brought about an increase in the number of
learners enrolling but with a very small number of teachers to handle the pupil influx. According
to one of the head teachers, his school has 1800 and only 15 teachers. In lower primary where
majority of the learners are, the teacher pupil ratio is 1:87.This makes it hard to give the disabled
learners the attention they need as one teacher in lower primary said:

"We are given only forty minutes to teach within which we have to teach, dive an exercise, mark
it and evaluate. We therefore have no time to the disabled learners individually and so they are
put at a great disadvantage"

The researcher observed that some classes were large and overcrowded making it unconducive
for pupils with disabilities. For instance, at Neam tree primary, there were over 30 learners in a
grade eight class. Such overcrowding of classes is what the report on Zambian education
progress (2006) that some teachers refuse accepting children with special educational needs in
their classes. It is hoped that if class sizes were minimal to acceptable standards, teachers would
accept children with special educational needs in their classes. The classes are also crowded and
the teachers have no space to monitor individual participation. Most of the disabled learners end
up being passive learners. One pupil agreed with the teacher that:

In most cases I reach school late because I am lame and so I get to sit behind in the class. The
problem is that I do not get what the teacher says because the pupils are many and most of the
times keep interrupting from behind by making noise"

Those who have speech impairments cannot ask any questions and the partially blind students
cannot see clearly unless they sit near the chalkboard; this all depends on how early they get to
class to scramble for the limited space.

The curriculum needs to be flexibly designed to allow teachers to manipulate it and apply
various teaching methodologies. Materials such as books need to be sensitive to the teachers'
challenges or flexible enough for teachers to adjust according to the learners' needs. Particularly,
textbooks and other learning materials need to be sensitive to the various challenges that learners
are likely to face. It has been found that the books actually 'disable' some learners by the kind of
images they portray of disabled categories of people. This though can be best done at the
national policy level. To overcome the problem of speech impaired learners. Bartson and Wamai

44
(1994) say that introducing speech devices and hearing aids is vital. However in a country where
resources are limited and education sector suffering under funding, it calls for government to
lobby for funds from multi-lateral donors to implement such a plan.

5.8 There is also a lack of special needs teachers

Special education teachers in areas such as Deaf education, Sign Language, visual and mental
impairment are inadequate and non-existent in most primary schools. As observed throughout
the four schools, there were no trained special needs teachers. The schools have only one teacher
each who has some knowledge of special needs education as they occasionally attend workshops
on special needs. Even so, these teachers are mostly in lower primary. They lack language skills
for speech impaired learners and cannot help partially blind as they do not have any special
devices. One teacher commented:

"When these special needs learners leave lower primary, they are left without any attention. No
teacher in upper primary can help them with the special attention they need and so they either
drop out or perform so poorly. This is why many disabled children repeating one class over and
over.

The curriculum structure and content present disability in negative terms, it's very wide and
challenges the teachers' capacity to meet its demands and is not most cases learner sensitive. In
all free education schools in the country, the syllabus is designed without considering the
disabled learners and instruction methods are benefiting mostly the non-disabled. The free
education policy emphasizes the mainstreaming of all categories of learners.

"When you integrate all learners in the same environment, those with disabilities are left out. As
they have to compete on unfair terms. Profoundly, deaf children are not yet benefiting much
from the scheme."

This is in line with what the researcher observed with the dumb learner. They cannot
communicate and ask questions but just follow their classmates around. This puts them at a great
disadvantage. One teacher said:

45
"The problems we have are mainly with speech impaired and dumb learners, there is no language
of communication between us and them and it becomes hard to help them. What they need is a
special needs school"

It therefore becomes imperative that teachers need to be trained on special needs so they can help
the special need learners. On most cases, these learners are capable, only that they are "disabled
by the method of instruction". Bwonderi (2002) noted that the challenges of being a teacher 27
come when they do not have the special needs education skills and when their cultural beliefs
interfere with their professionalism.

The issue of environmental challenges Is understood in the following manner in the social model
of disabilities. According to Rieser (2002) the model states that environmental challenges are
understood as challenges that are caused due to the natural surroundings and the infrastructure
that affect mobility of learners with disabilities. The natural surroundings and the infrastructure
may lack inclusive design features such as the natural environment that have passages for
learners with physical disabilities to pass without problems, infrastructure that have ramped
building with double door entrances and the infrastructure that have terrains that may not hinder
participation of learners with physical disabilities in academic activities.

In the school environment natural surroundings and the infrastructure are supposed to be
accessible to learners with physical disabilities and especially those in wheelchairs or those using
other mobility aides. It will also mean that learners with physical disabilities need to be provided
with elevators in upstairs buildings, ramps and paved pathways in all buildings. In the
infrastructure there is need of having double doors.

5.9 Inclusive Teaching and Learning Methods

The study intended to seek whether or not the teaching and learning methods/approaches
used by teachers/tutors/lectures are inclusive thus consider physically disabled students and those
without disabilities as equal. Out of 12 respondents visited as shown in table 12,eight (8)
respondents who were amounted for 66.7 percent of the entire sample argued that teaching
and learning methods/approaches used by teachers were not inclusive. The remaining four
(4) respondents who were equivalent to 33.3 percent revealed that teaching and learning

46
methods/approaches used by teachers were inclusive and extended equal treatment to both
disabled and the rest of the students equally.

5.10 Stakeholders’ Experiences Concerning the Life of the learners with Disabilities school
Environments.

The study demanded different stakeholders to share their experiences on the lives of
learners with disabilities at school environments. Many stakeholders showed how learners with
disabilities suffered to cope with the environment. Most of them argued that, the lives of
physically disabled students were challenging since the environment were not friendly at all. Due
to that situation, disabled students do not enjoy their presence at school environment. Students
with disabilities normally face problems to access dining halls, lecture theaters, washrooms,
playgrounds and dormitories especially when those services provided are far away.

The study examined views from students without disabilities, teachers as well as parents
on means to address problems that face students with disabilities at. The study believed that
students without disabilities, teachers and parents have great experience of living and interacting
with physically disabled students, hence they had enough experience on how to address
challenges and problems that face physically disabled students

5.11 Stakeholders’ Views on Means to Address Problems that Students with Disabilities
Encounter in accessing equal education.

Stakeholders argued that, administrators and decision makers in government and institution level
should see the importance of restructuring and implementing policies efficiently and effectively
so as to guide provision of good and conducive environment for students with disabilities in
secondary schools. Through interviews conducted to different stakeholders, the issue of wrong
perceptions to disabled students from normal students, tutors and lectures on matters
concerning social and academic issues was also discussed. For example, some students
without disabilities experienced that, for example, during group discussions, disabled students
were given little chances and mistrusted to contribute their ideas or arguments because of
their physical conditions.

Most of stakeholders interviewed, argued that there was lack of special trained staff to
support students with physical disabilities in all secondary schools visited by a researcher.

47
Stakeholders suggested the importance of training special staff to deal and support students
with disabilities. In all five higher learning institutions visited by the researcher, there was
less concern in assisting students with physical disabilities in most cases. Physically disabled
students are most assisted and depending on their fellow students in academic and social matters.
The schools are advised to employ few personnel who will be responsible to assist students with
disabilities rather than depending totally on their fellow learners

Apart from many suggestions and proposals from different stakeholders, government was
also advised to train enough expertise to be used to assist and give support all students with
disabilities from schools education level to higher level of education. Government was
recommended as well to supply all necessary equipment’s to students with physical
disabilities in higher learning institutions such as wheel chairs, computers, projectors
sound systems and books so as to assist disabled students to reach their academic and
sociaanalysis

5.12 Summary

Inclusive education is the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes, building
an inclusive society and achieving 'Education for All'. Every child has a right to education but
not every child has the opportunity. We believe that inclusion in education is the path to follow
in order to fulfill the right to education. It should be built within all sections of the society:
parents, community members, non-governmental organizations, so as to influence government
policies.

48
 CHAPTER SIX

RECOMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION:

6.0 Overview

This chapter presents the recommendations and conclusion of the research finding earlier
presented in chapter four. The conclusions and recommendations are made in light of the
findings of the study, Challenges of accessing faced by learners with disability in accessing equal
education.

6.2 Recommendations

I. Teacher training, both pre-service and in-service is essential to develop the skills
necessary to teach in inclusive settings. This can be done with the collaboration of the
Ministry of education.
II. Awareness and sensitization programs on inclusive education should be launched to
sensitize all stakeholders. This will help to dispel the negative attitude that some head
teachers, teachers and learners have towards learners with special needs. The school
heads and staff must together make a commitment that all learners are welcome in the
school regardless of the special need.
III. Ministry of Education should adopt more effective mechanism of monitoring schools to
oversee effective learning among learners with disabilities and also ensure the
socialization between the disabled and the non-disabled to enhance the point where both
parties can be free to interact with each other without fear.
IV. The Ministry of Education should ensure that policies supporting the provision of barrier
free and child friendly physical infrastructure are conducive to a good learning
environment for learners with disabilities.
V. The curriculum needs to be flexibly designed to allow teachers to manipulate it and apply
various teaching methodologies. Flexible curriculum can be a key to creating schools that
meet the needs of all learners. Curriculum must take into consideration the different
abilities and needs of all learners.

49
VI. Learning materials are to be provided to learners with disabilities in order for them to
compete and match up to the standard of their peers who are non-disabled within
academic areas.

6.1 Conclusion

This study has highlighted challenges that learners with disability face in accessing equal
education in schools. These challenges have been categorized into economical, social and school
based. The study also gathered some suggestions that can help in curbing challenges faced by
learners with disability in three selected schools of kabwe district. Questionnaires were used to
collect data from 25 disabled learners on academic, social and financial problems that faced them
in accessing equal education. Interview guides presented to respondents on the other hand
were used to collect data to 20 teachers Five (5) heads of schools were also included as
respondents for the interview sessions. They responded to issues relating to primary and
secondary schools programs for learners with disabilities.

The study also found high inadequacy in the teaching and learning materials, library facilities,
ICT facilities, science and language laboratories as well as lack of physical disability schemes,
trained staff, funds and scholarship for learners with physical disabilities .

Children with disabilities should have special exams apart from the common exams used to test
other regular learners. There should be increased funding in special need education to cater for
the instructional materials used by these learners. The instructional materials were expensive
to most of the parents the community should treat children with disabilities fairly without
discrimination. The head teachers suggested that school funding should be increased to allow
construction of special facilities for such children in public schools. The devolved funds in the
county can also be mobilized to enhance the teaching and learning of the CWD more so the
fund kitty of people with special needs. learners with disabilities suggested that that there is
need for improved transportation to school, constructing spacious classrooms and improved
sanitation in the school as well as provision of walking equipment, hearing aids and special
education teachers.

Despite twenty years of implementing inclusive education in Zambia, children with disabilities
are still at a disadvantage in terms of school enrolment, educational attainment, and learning.
50
Many never enroll in school or drop out prematurely. Their learning outcomes are also often
learned less while in school because of their disabilities and the lack of inclusive education
policies and programs.

The advantages of inclusion and the disadvantages of exclusion of all children in education are
well known. Inclusive education provides an opportunity of increased quality education for all
through systematic changes in the way learning experience is planned, implemented, and
evaluated. Excluding children with disabilities from educational harms economies and societies.

Additionally, exclusion from education, and the occupational opportunities that schooling
provides for individuals, too often leads to poverty. Challenges in unresolved. Learners with
disability face exclusionary barriers that can be described as either demand-side or supply-side
obstacles. These impediments to inclusive education are an outcome of prejudicial sociocultural
perceptions, national policies and strategies on inclusive education, financing, the robustness of
disability prevalence data, school accessibility issues, availability of teaching materials, teacher
preparedness.

Various disablers to IE implementation were documented despite intense efforts and input from
the CBR programs. Several exclusionary barriers were highlighted. These included economic
challenges or financial and difficulties with movements to and from school for CWDs. There
was also a lack of teaching and materials. Teachers were seldom available. In addition, there
were also some pedagogical hurdles coupled with curriculum inflexibility. An important finding
worth pointing out is the negative attitudes towards CWDs observed in surrounding nearby no
inclusive schools during the referral process of CWDs to the two pilot schools. These barriers
were seen to impact the quality of teaching and to learn at the two research sites. The study
further showed that the CBR implementation process mainly depended on the support of
cooperating partners with minimal support from the government.

Based on the findings of this study, we recommend changes at the system level are needed in
Zambia at the national, provincial, and school level to deliver better learning outcomes for all
CWDs. Inclusive education programs are successful when the system changes to accommodate
the training of teachers, the preparation of appropriate learning environments in schools, the
empowerment of parents, and the education of community members and related professionals
support service systems. Policymakers need to be involved because the more they understand,

51
the more supportive they become when policymakers understand issues of different disabilities,
their causes, their rights and inclusiveness, inclusive policy problems are then better handled.

VI.3 Further studies

This study was specifically carried out in kabwe to find out the problems facing learners
with disabilities in accessing equal in few selected schools kabwe. However, further
studies are needed to find out means which were suggested by this study on how to
address problems facing learners with l disabilities can be implemented and put into
actions so as to enable creating conducive learning environments for all learners.

5.4 Summary

From the forgoing findings of the study, it can be concluded that teachers lack necessary
skills and knowledge to implement inclusion of learners with special needs. The
findings also found out that schools lacked essential facilities that aid learning of SNE
pupils, for example ramps for learners who are physically challenged, hearing aids among
others. Teaching/learning materials were also found to be inadequate and in other schools
were unavailable. Learners with disabilities face challenges in learning, the community
discriminates them and some perceive them as a curse that needs to be cleansed from the
community. Parents who have children with disabilities are at times alienated by the
community as they are perceived to be curse carriers who gave birth to cursed children.
There is need to sensitize the community on the importance of inclusion of all and
discrimination of none. The study further showed the need for the curriculum content to
be revised to accommodate learners with disabilities.

52
 REFERENCES

Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 160 Gould St., Needham Heights. Final Regulations for Part B of IDEA,
(1992).

Bedin's, L.A. (2000). Just sit down so we can talk: Perceived stigma and the Community
recreation for People with disabilities. Therapeutic Recreation Journal.

Bureau(2011). Inclusive Education in Secondary Schools: Perspectives of Students with

Disabilities. New York: State University Brenda Gannon and Brian Nolan, 'The impacts of
Disability Transitions on social inclusion'.

DANIDA (1993) Review of Special Needs Education funding for developing countries Davis,
W. E. (1986). Resource guide to special education.

DFID(2012). Perceptions About Intellectual Disability: Journal of Intellectual Disability

Research.

Goffman .E. (1963) Notes on the management of spoiled identity, Englewood cliffs, Nj: Prentice
Hall. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997.

Katz. I. (1981): A social psychological analysis: Erlbaum, Hillsdale New Jersey.

Mung’omba, J. (2008) Comparative Policy Brief Status of Intellectual Disabilities in the

Republic of Zambia. Journal of Policy and Practices in Intellectual Disabilities.

UNESCO (1994) Salamanca Statement on Principles, Policies and Practices in Special Needs
Education Paris: UNESCO.

Ministry of General Education. (2016). Inclusive Education and Special Education in Zambia
Implementation Guidelines. Lusaka: Zambia Education Publishing House.
Sahoo B.K (20ll) Education of The Exceptional Children. New Delhi: Kalyan Publishers.

53
Appendix I: Questionnaire for Head teachers

Dear Respondent,

My name is Maureen Chanda a student at Kabwe Institute of Technology, am carrying out a

research on the challenges faced by learners with disability in accessing equal education.

You have been purposively selected for this research and your response to this study will enable
the achievement of the research objectives. You are requested to answer these questions and be
rest assured that your reasons will be strictly be kept confidential.

Please, give your view by filling in the blank spaces or putting a tick [√] in the appropriate
spaces that corresponds with your response.

1. Gender: Male [ ] Female [ ]

2. How many Special Needs Education (SNE) teachers do you have in the
school?.....................

3. Are there sufficient SNE teachers in the school?

Yes [ ] No [ ]

4. Teachers adequately trained for SNE learners?

Yes [ ] No [ ]

5. Which strategies can be used to improve the learning of children with disability?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…..…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

54
6. To what extent does the school create conducive environment in order to support learners
with disability
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…..…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

7. Do you have special trained staff for supporting the physically disabled students at your
school?

Yes [ ]

No [ ]

4a) If yes, are they adequate? ........................................................................................................

4b) If no, what do you consider to be the reasons for not having the specialized staff in the area?
...............................................................................................
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………....

8. What do you consider should be done to improve the conditions of learners with disability in
accessing equal education?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

9. Do you have any other information you want to

present? .............................................................................................................................................
...............

………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………..…………………………………………………………………………………………..

55
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION

Appendix II: Teachers’ Questionnaire

Dear Respondent,

My name is Maureen Chanda a student at Kabwe Institute of Technology, am carrying out a

research on the challenges faced by learners with disability in accessing equal education.

You have been purposively selected for this research and your response to this study will enable
the achievement of the research objectives. You are requested to answer these questions and be
rest assured that your reasons will be strictly be kept confidential.

You are kindly requested to answer the questions by cither putting a tick in the space ( )
provided next to the answer, Where the question require an explanation. Write in the spaces
provided where appropriate.

1. What grades do you teach?

(a) 8-9

(b) 10-12

2. What is your gender/sex?

(a) Male

(b) Female

3. How old are you? (in years)

(a) Less than 21

56
(b) 21-29

(c) 30-34

(d) 40-49

4. How long have you been teaching?

(a) 0-4

(b) 5-9

(c) 10-15

5. What is your highest professional qualification(s)?

(a) Primary teachers’ certificate

(b) Secondary teachers’ diploma

(c) University degree

(d) A doctorate degree (PHD)

6. Are you trained in inclusive/special education?

(a) Yes

(b) No

(c) Undecided

7. If your answer in 6 is yes, what is your field of specialization?

(a) Learning difficulties

(b) Hearing impaired

(c) Mentally challenged

(d) Physically impaired

(e) Visually impaired

8. Does integrated learning system benefit the SNE learners

57
 Strongly agree [ ] Agree [ ] Disagree [ ]

Strongly Disagree [ ] Not sure [ ]

9. There is isolation and negative attitude towards children with disabilities

Strongly agree [ ] Agree [ ] Disagree [ ] Not sure [ ]

10.List down any problems that you may have observed that affect learners who are differently
abled………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION

Appendix III: Questionnaire for learners

Dear Respondent,

My name is Maureen Chanda, a student at Kabwe Institute of Technology, am carrying out a

research on the challenges faced by learners with disability in accessing equal education.

You have been purposively selected for this research and your response to this study will enable
the achievement of the research objectives. You are requested to answer these questions and be
rest assured that your reasons will be strictly be kept confidential.

You are kindly requested to answer the questions by cither putting a tick in the space ( )
provided next to the answer, Where the question require% an explanation. Write in the spaces
provided where appropriate.

1. Gender male [ ] Female [ ]

2. Type Of disability

a) physical impaired

b) Hearing impaired

d) Physically impaired

e) Visually impaired

d) Multi disabilities
58
3. Do you enjoy school?

Yes [ ] No [ ]

4. How has disability affected your life?

a. Academically

b. Socially

c. Psychologically

5. What problems do you face in school as a result of your disability?

.......................................................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................

6. 0 Do the teachers help you to solve those problems?

........................................................................................................................................................................

7. How do the teachers help you in class?......................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................................................

8. How do your fellow learners treat you in your condition?.......................................................................

........................................................................................................................................................................

9. How do you perform in your examinations?...........................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................................................

10. Do they encourage you to come to school? Socio-cultural and economic challenges............................

........................................................................................................................................................................

11. What do people in the community say about you attending school.....................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

12. Do you find any challenges attending school? ........................................................................................

59
........................................................................................................................................................................

13. Do your parents provide you with all your school needs?........................................................................

........................................................................................................................................................................

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.

60