academic and socio-emotional challenges faced by students with visual impairment in inclusive education. The case of Haile Mariam Mamo secondary school at Debre Birhan regio Politian city administration

Abstract

Visual impairment hurts a student's academic achievement, and also socio-emotional difficulties can include experiences of bullying, stigma, and restricted access to role models, in addition to feelings of loneliness, low self-esteem, anxiety, and dependence on others. To conduct this study, a mixed concurrent research design was employed. Participants of the study were 3 school principals, 31 teachers, 30 students without visual impairments, and 10 students with visual impairments. To collect primary data, a questionnaire with closed and open-ended items for school teachers, students without visual impairments, and students with visual impairments as well as interviews for principals, and students with visual impairments and observation were employed. Interviews and observations were conducted to triangulate the information obtained through a questionnaire. The finding of the study reveals that lack of trained teachers, and limited choices in the field of study, unavailability and inaccessibility of educational resources in the library and classrooms for students with visual impairments were the major challenges. In addition, major socio-emotional challenges faced by students with visual impairment problems include forming friends most of the time, feel unhappy without any reason, usually feeling anxious, feeling like a stranger in school and being afraid to express their opinions, Furthermore, support provided for SWVI extremely less in Haile Mariam Mamo secondary school. Recommendations were; that those school leaders and concerned bodies should design and implement different mechanisms for participating students with visual impairments in inclusive classrooms and ensure material provisions to enhance the participation of students with visual impairments.